How to bring back the Start menu and button to Windows 8

With Windows 10 seemingly just around the corner, Microsoft plans to fix one of its most egregious mistakes with Windows 8: the missing Start menu. By now you may know the story, as the company has gradually backtracked throughout various updates since the OS launched in late 2012. And Windows 10 will bring the real thing back, albeit in an enhanced fashion that doesn’t depend on fiddly per-user shortcuts and extra folders.

The thing is, unless you’re willing to experiment with Windows 10 Technical Preview, the new version won’t help you yet. For several years now, every Windows desktop and laptop sold in a store comes with Windows 8. While Windows 8.1 Update somewhat improves the situation, it’s still no Windows 7 when it comes to ease of use.

Here’s the problem, in a nutshell: Let’s say you’ve just installed Windows 8.1 for the first time, or perhaps bought your first Windows 8 PC. After poking around for a bit you’ve finally found your way to the desktop. In the bottom left corner, you’ll see what looks like the Start button, but when you click it, you’ll be rewarded with a hideous new Start screen, not the Start menu that you know and love from Windows 7 and Vista. For some reason, despite the aforementioned series of updates over the last two years that are meant to make Windows 8 more user friendly for mouse-and-keyboard users, Microsoft is still forcing us to use the Metro interface instead of a real Start menu.

The good news is, despite Microsoft’s best efforts to ensure that the Start button and menu remain banished from its new OS, there are a bunch of third-party Windows 8 Start menu replacement apps that you can download today. Really, it goes to show how devoted the existing user base is. Microsoft completely stripped out the underlying Start menu code to quash potential Luddite revolutionaries, and yet now there are dozens of Start menu and Start button replacements — some of which are even superior to Microsoft’s own Windows 7 Start menu.

If you’re running Windows 8.1 today and want the Start menu back, take a look at our list of the best, least expensive, and most authentic Windows 8 Start menu replacements.

Windows 8 Start button and menu replacements

Start Menu Reviver 2

Start Menu Reviver 2 is a touch-screen-friendly option — one of the few that is, considering most people want the original Start menu back because they’re used to a keyboard and mouse. In this case, the new version is nicer, with plenty of sizing options and the ability to create shortcuts for documents, music, video, websites, and other tasks. It also embraces the Windows 8 tile design, without completely taking over the UI the way Windows 8 Metro does. It now includes scrolling tiles and a Windows 7-like mode as well.

ViStart

ViStart is one of the most customizable Start menu restorers for Windows 8, and lets you choose from a variety of skins. ViStart includes a blurred, translucent menu that integrated well with Windows 8, as well as a Windows 7-like Start Menu skin that we imagine some people will want to head straight for. It also speeds up program launches thanks to built-in indexing, and advertises a faster-than-Windows-7 search option for your local PC.

StartIsBack

If you want a Windows 8 Start menu replacement that looks exactly like Windows 7, StartIsBack is for you. You get the same Start button orb icon, the same Start menu search box, the same jump lists, and — for better or worse — even the same Aero transparency. As you can see in the screenshot above, StartIsBack even detects if your system needs to restart to apply some patches; it really is just like the Windows 7 Start menu. Where StartIsBack diverges from the Windows 7 Start menu, though, is configurability: You can adjust which hot corners are enabled, make your PC jump straight to the Desktop when it first boots up, and configure a key combo to show the Windows 8 Start screen (Win+Ctrl by default).

Pokki

Where StartIsBack tries to replicate the Windows of yesteryear, Pokki (free) is very much its own beast — and as much as we love the Windows 7 Start menu, we have to admit that Pokki is probably even better. It utilizes a neat “pinning” system that isn’t unlike the home screen of your smartphone or tablet. You can also add widgets to Pokki, such as Gmail or Facebook, which display your latest email or status updates. By default, Pokki will configure your Windows 8 system to boot straight to the Desktop — and there is an option that will just completely disable the hot corners, if you so desire. (Remember, Win+C pops open the Charms menu, if you need.)

In hindsight, leaving out the Start button in Win 8 (or at least not implementing an option to turn back on) is a definite FAIL. Just admit it Microsoft, turn it back on, and move on.

max999

M$ is just too arrogant to admit they screwed up. The only thing they understand is loss of profit. Look for a new style start button/menu in W9 with a incredibly stupid reason why they are bringing it back.

Sean

Microsoft is even more arrogant than that. They’re thinking “the users will use our new OS and learn to love it, what other choice do they have?”

The whole design is to expand the windows phone and tablet markets. People get used to “Metro” or whatever it is now, and then when they go to shop for a smart phone they see that the windows phones/tablets look exactly like their home computer and they’ll hopefully choose the windows phone over the iPhone or the windows tablet over the iPad.

It’s a brute force way of getting a larger portion of their PC User share into their tablet and phone markets.

max999

Exactly! I’ve heard it called the “Total Windows Experience”. But what Microsoft doesn’t understand is most people associate ‘Windows” with the buggy OS I am stuck using on my PC at home and work. They don’t want it everywhere.
Now the word is out that Win8 sucks and its all done. M$ didn’t listen during the betas (previews) now they will pay. People don’t want Windows on their phone or tablet. Nor do they want a touch screen on a desktop or laptop PC.
Now with Windows 8 they’ve thrown their core users under the bus. So instead of a “Total Windows Experience” they have achieved “Total Failure”.

bibou644

max999, let me respectfully disagree with your statement regarding laptop pc. First let me tell you that I don’t have M$ in my heart. I started my computing history with apple with the first mac and only made the windows transition because my work required it. I now use Linux for development and windows for all my company internet crap. Having said that…

have you really tried a touch laptop running win8? I suggest you do even though you probably won’t. I did. I recently bought my wife a mac book air and an asus 31a touch not knowing what she would prefer. Guess which one is going back? The mac book. So I would suggest you don’t make such generalized statements since you do not represent or know what “people” want.

Even though win8 was released probably too early and it really sucks for desktop, it is a very good starting point for touch laptop. I was myself surprised having heard a lot of negative comments. Where I doubt that touch desktop with our current technology will ever be viable since our hands are usually too far from the screen, it is actually truly applicable to a laptop. I have seen many people switching from an ipad and a laptop to intuitively reach out to touch the screen on their laptop. I believe win8 is prime to capitalize on this intuitive gesture and to my great surprise it truly change the way you interact with your device.

On the Total Windows Experience, While I don’t really understand and disagree why their decision to “touch” (pun intended) their successful Desktop interface, I am still impressed by Microsoft to have the courage to try an unified approach. This is by far their boldest move ever. Even Apple did not try this and future will tell who was right.

M$ knows that desktops for the majority of their home users are going away replaced by smart phones and pads. A few companies had the smarts and courage to understand they need to change their core solution while they maintains 95% of the user base in order to survive in the long term. Look at IBM, Western Digital… So while I disagree with some of their design choices and their decision to launch it too early (major missing apps or functions), I am also willing to wait for them to get it right. Obviously that will depend on them listening to the right people. And in the end if they really fail, we still have macos :-)
So no need of such emotional response. Do like me, wait and keep your win7 on your desktop. I believe we may see true benefits out of this that will change the way we interact with computers.

SheiksBier

The “Metro UI” of UIFCM (UI Formerly Called Metro :-)) attracted so much criticism that improvements under the hood were not considered. You see the beauty of the new touch UI as soon as you use it on a tablet.
I prefer the way it works over my iPad.
But what is definitely annyoing is the constant switching between Metro apps and Desktop apps. You see that when you add a user and assign the rights. So the Job is just half done at MS. Looking Forward to Windows 9.
What is definitely a benefit is the quick boot time on a UEFI based machine. Does UEFI prevent Installation of other OSes ? No.
Even some Linux distros support UEFI boot now.

ShanieOneillnuc

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http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Bales/1480767163 John Bales

So, I have a perfectly great laptop that doesn’t have a touch screen and your solution is to go out and buy a new one so that I can effectively use Windows 8 as is? I don’t think so! Better to spend the few dollars for a Start Button replacement app (like I did with Start8) than to have to shell out hundreds of dollars for a new machine just because Microsoft, in its arrogance, was not willing to add a switch that would allow end users to decide whether or not they wanted to use the Metro/Modern UI or the Desktop+Start Button UI that’s been available for 15+ years.
It’s not like MS didn’t get feedback during the several Windows 8 Previews that the Metro/Modern UI was going to be problematic for the general public (ie, non-enthusiasts, the average consumer) on desktops and laptops, recognizing that it was a UI most effective on smartphones and tablets where you actually have the machine in your hands. As it appears, the total Windows experience across all types of hardware is still not generating larger market share for Windows smartphones and tablets, which it seems was supposed to be the whole point of the Metro/Modern UI.

Larhawk

Actually the Nokia line of Windows phones are very popular, reasonably priced, and work perfectly.

2.8% of 1.4 billion is 39.2 million, Neutrino. And that’s 39.2 million users in the world. You could fill a city the size of Denver almost 20 times over with all the people who use Lumia devices. :)

Neutrino .

That’s like say the Second World War was very popular because most of Germany’s 79M population supported Hitler.

Opinionated Cat Lover

Ooh, a Godwin Gambit. I’ll take the victory. Thanks for conceding the argument!

Neutrino .

The Godwin Gambit lol. There’s a difference between an Internet meme and a formal fallacy, (hint: only one of them wins you the argument).

Preet

However Windows 8.1 has fixed it yet in new interface you have to waste time scrolling those idiotic big tiles to find out what you need. You have to admit card that it is not what we were expecting.

himagain

@sean: Nahhh, I’m sure they wouldn’t do something like that, it would be not nice.

Brian Merica

What choice? Buy an Apple, that’s what choice.

AdamWL

So buy a computer from another arrogant company.

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Tim

What about the market for people who will NEVER buy a tablet? I already own an Android phone, so the likelihood of me switching to another OS is really slim. As far as tabs are concerned, I consider them more of a thing for women with purses. Until they can shrink a tablet down to a size that I can fit in my front pocket (foldable tablets maybe?), they can forget about me ever buying one. MS should stick to what it does best (sort of) – desktop/laptop OSes.

Ray Rainer

Look at how arrogant Apple is and they get away with it. Steve Jobs did away with the classic Apple menu and to this day you still have to use a program to get it back. And then after their updates those Apple Menus don’t work, so they have to continually update them. It was one of the reason I didn’t like OS X; so I eventually left it. windows XP felt more like a Mac to me. It really annoyed me to no end. They want you to use the “dock” which is ok but it doesn’t replace a startup up style menu. OS X is not your simple operating system like Apple Classic OS was.

Relzeri Zynx

I actually like it

Dvscore

There is a start button. It’s called the “Windows Key” it’s located on the keyboard. Learn how to use it.

AnonymousSnowman

I agree with you pal. I’ve actually noticed my usability improve with windows 8. I use the start screen now just like I used to use the old start menu – and then some so now everything I use is more ready at hand and my desktop has about one third of the crap it used to have. So, all I see are positives

Hannibal Lector

That’s isn’t a start button is it then you complete ignoramus. Idiots like you need to be quarantined.

AdamWL

That includes you, your sentence is hard to read.

SlyKrysis

And boom goes the dynamite… Exactly what “dumb” Windows users need to realize is that the Modern UI interface IS the same old start menu they’re used to, just different looking.

RCW

When the first Win 8 preview came out, when was that, two years or more ago? It took me a couple of hours to get comfortable with Win 8. After that I never considered going back to any earlier version.
Since then they’ve improved the UI so that we can better use the mouse and keyboard on the Start screen, I appreciated that.
I never missed the Start button or the Start menu. After all, you can easily make the Start screen do everything the Start Menu did.
But then I am 70 years old, I couldn’t expect everyone to be as quick to accept change and learn new stuff as I am. For instance, my wife is four months older and it took me almost an hour to show her the differences she’d have to deal with after we bought Win 8.
How old are all you people who can deal with Windows 8 ? 80s? 90s? Any WW One vets?

rebelle

We’re NOT all you nor do we have the same wants or needs you old fool! Some of us found earlier versions of windows much more user friendly for our needs and purposes! Just how arrogant of an ass are you? This is when being a 10 is NOT a good thing!

Dvscore

What are you talking about. MS is making a killing on Windows 8. Where are you getting your Info?

Tim

I wonder how much profit they lost because of the Start Button?

Once one can get around the Metro UI (I go weeks without even looking at it thanks to a nifty add-on), the underlying system is just as good, probably faster, and includes an internal antivirus (Windows Defender), rendering third-party antiviruses obsolete. I hate the Metro start screen as much as the next guy, but I’m not prepared to write off Windows 8 as a complete failure.

Arash Jafari

Well, why can’t people like you just accept the change and move on and not be so afraid of learning new ways to do things?

user 9693

Don’t eat with your hand eat with your foot , don’t be “afraid of learning new ways to do things”

Arash Jafari

That’s not even remotely a fair comparison and just proves how lost some people get when the simplest things aren’t exactly the way they’re used to. And for your information there are people who eat with their feet because life left them no other choice, they accept it, learn to cope with it and get on with their lives without complaining but that’s not relevant here.

user 9693

but we have a choice ,interfaces are made easier and to make things easier not complicated that is one of the the sole purposes of an “Interface”.
And for your information everyone knows how to use the new windows 8 interface but people don’t go for it because it’s a waste of time and more complicated

Arash Jafari

Yes it’s very complicated to click a corner or the windows key and instantly see what want and click it. Very complicated…

Roger Dancy

Microsoft could have avoided the whole debate. Give the customer the choice they asked for. Check this box for the classic interface. Instead they were arrogant and said use what we think is best because we are the ones who know what you need. Really! Microsoft is the only Company I know that has been able to NOT listen to the customer and get away with it.

Arash Jafari

I don’t think it has anything to do with arrogance, they simply made it clear that Windows is headed towards touch. This has happened before and eventually people adjusted. The options you speak of aren’t necessary because third parties have provided numerous options just for that. What’s interesting is that many end up uninstalling them after 2 weeks because they realize they’re not needed.

I think Microsoft listens to their users but seeing all the mad bitching, false claims and hardly any constructive criticism over these 2 months it’s not shocking that they pay more attention to windows developers than regular users. Also, bear in mind that Microsoft cannot possibly satisfy all its 1.5 billion users.

IMWorks

Arash Jafari’s defense of Microsoft’s decision-making processes almost appears to make Arash Jafari a Microsoft mole attempting to mislead casual readers into believing that Windows 8 is a productivity tool rather than an entertainment platform. I’m actually surprised that nobody has yet compared Windows 8 to Windows 3.0. Although the tiles in W8 are active windows that display running applications (whereas in Windows 3.0 those same tiles would have been static icons) the idea behind cluttering up an entire desktop with every single one of the hundreds and hundreds of programs running on your local computer isn’t a new idea at all. It’s actually an old idea — a very, very old idea — circa 1990. Welcome back, everyone,
to the Windows 3.0 desktop.

Smurf

This comment was fantastic. *clap clap*

Tyr65

Reminds me more of MS Bob than win 3.0

http://twitter.com/GorillaDaGoon Juan Gotti

Wow thats funny I hear they are the most popular apps, and how would you know they uninstalled them. Every video review I watch say it makes 8 tolerable. I understand that you have the more accurate facts…. being a statisical analyst and all.

Bill Cardiff

How do you think they listened to their users??? If there was “mad bitching” and there is still “mad bitching” then possibly they didn’t listen to anyone!!
Windows 8 Metro screen is the worse implementation of a Desktop UI that I can even imagine. Absolutely fantastic if there was a touch screen, but as I don’t want to shell out an extra $300 for a touch screen when my nice wide screen works fantastic, I am not going to. To change so drastically just to try to sell on a market that is already lost to them is wasting MY time not theirs. Please find a read me document included with some freeware that you just installed…. for that matter find the freeware! Find a system service. Pin a favorite anywhere. Go from working in a spreadsheet to opening some text note that you created two days ago… try it first with Windows 7 then time yourself while you do this in Windows 8. You MUST be a Microsoft employee, that is the only option. This means to me that your opinion is useless and wasted. Congratulations. You are now as pointless as Windows 8.

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.stepp Ronald Stepp

We’re not headed towards touch on the desktop anymore than we are headed for a mouse on tablets and phones.

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.stepp Ronald Stepp

We’re not headed towards touch on the desktop anymore than we are headed for a mouse on tablets and phones.

Chris

And because of MS’s foolishness, they are also headed for the ditch. People who work need desktops…try doing data entry on a tablet. Touch screens are fine for kiosks, not for business users.

William Voelkle

I have used home computers with most every opsys since the beginning, and I don’t know a single person who likes or wants a touch screen on a desktop. We call them booger-track displays. Wash off your cell phone daily.

chaotix

it has everything to do with arogance. so is the microsoft way! just trying out some linux desktop environments would allow one to see that it actually is possible to allow us to decide our experience, rather than deciding them deciding it for us. if i want a button on my taskbar/panel, i should be able to have a damn button! and without shelling out more money for it!

Witty Widi

Please post this comment everywhere on the internet. Every point is Rock solid.

http://twitter.com/GorillaDaGoon Juan Gotti

No its complicated when its hidden by default, and not explained explicitly on system start up that its been changed after 20 years of doing it the other way. Name one smartphone that starts up with out a tutorial besides WP8 or RT. I understand you are a fan but the market does not want it.

If they add a start button and a default to “desktop” this would be one of their best OSs, but forcing to metro will make it a fail.

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.stepp Ronald Stepp

I hardly think dragging up into the top right corner and hovering around until the menu decides to pop out is a “simpler” way to do things. And then as you drag down to pick one of the charms, sometimes (more often than not) if you go just a hair to far to the left, it closes up on you, then you have to repeat the whole process.

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.stepp Ronald Stepp

I hardly think dragging up into the top right corner and hovering around until the menu decides to pop out is a “simpler” way to do things. And then as you drag down to pick one of the charms, sometimes (more often than not) if you go just a hair to far to the left, it closes up on you, then you have to repeat the whole process.

thank you for saying so! I have been reading this entire post hoping to find a simple solution to a simple browsing problem This system seems like it does what it wants most of the time. I cannot seem to turn off he damn password prompt every time I turn my computer on even though I have changed the option several times. I also cannot even get my outlook express mail, that I prefer, to work, seems I have to download an app to get it to work…

Jak Stone

Funny, I don’t see a single thing that I wanted in here.

http://twitter.com/GorillaDaGoon Juan Gotti

Well here is an adequate analogy. Pick up everything you have at home along with your family and move to work. That way you can have everything at work. Alternatively you can move all of your coworkers and all of the equipment you have from work to your home. Instead of having dinner with your family have dinner with the entire crew from work and their families.

See how much of a disaster that would be? Its not that I am not into trying new things. I did. I tried an Ipad, I tried Android, I tried Mozilla’s smart phone os. I actually enjoy most of those. If they tried to cram it on my desktop ie like when I ran mozilla’s os. I didn’t like it on my desktop, but its not designed for desktop. Its going on a phone. Window 8 and metro should be separate like OSx and IOS.

Arash Jafari

Not really, it’s not an adequate analogy…

Anyway, I (still) love Windows 8 on my desktop and touch brings me an extra dimension in productivity. I understand that most people don’t see it that way, at least yet, but it’s better to have both worlds at once and be able to choose which you prefer. When it comes to the whole Start Menu/Desktop shebang I see no harm in MSFT providing selection options but fact is that we already today have several choices, built-in and 3rd party.

http://www.facebook.com/rubecker Robiara Ubiratan Becker

You HAVE a touch screen, the whole question here is people who do NOT have one not wanting a touch oriented OS.

http://www.facebook.com/saym.guy Saym Guy

“I understand that most people don’t see it that way, at least yet, but it’s better to have both worlds at once and be able to choose which you prefer.”
Oh now you respect choice? It’s OK that you have a choice to go between both the desktop and the touch experience, but when other people complain about the start button then they are just bitching? That’s what people here are complaining about, is that M$ didn’t give people a choice for the Start button. “built-in”? All the start button solutions are 3rd party, have yet to see M$ give people that option back.

JasinWalraven

it is a extremely fair comparison. First rule of business, sell the people what they want to buy. No one looked at a computer has ever said “fucking start button is ruining my computing experience!” These are virtual environments, want to try something new? Awesome! go for it. But they could have done both the metro and the start button.

http://www.yourcyberguide.com/ divyansh

i agree, old start button provided instant view to use any available app on your laptop. But in this new interface you have to waste time scrolling those idiotic big tiles to find out what you need. Moreover not everything appears on the tile and search bar and you have to stumble around your whole computer to find it, whats the point of using a new interface which makes it difficult and time consuming to do simple things/

Dustymack

Its because we live in a society where people are too inept to even learn to use a self check out system! What MS did with the start menu sent 80% of the population back another 10 years in learning. I cant wait till companies start complaining about training employees to use this horrible OS.

At Microsoft with Steve Ballmer the employees must be on crack along with managers.

In fact no one either business man or anyone else with a bit of brain would ever think about forcing something on customers that was clearly a failure already and the market rejected completely.

The MetroUI was already marketed by Microsoft on WindowsPhone7.x and what was the result? 2-3% market share…

Where the heck was the love for MetroUI anywhere in the world ?

If it was so good and loved by people it would have got at least 15-20% market share.

It’s just plain stupid forcing a clear failure of an UI on everyone from gamers to casual users to power users to business users to server administrators and developers and so on.

Microsoft forcing Metro/ModernUI on Windows Server 2012 too clearly shows that Microsoft employees and managers are out of mind and absolutely on crack.

http://www.facebook.com/Stryperman Terry Pasley

“The MetroUI was already marketed by Microsoft on WindowsPhone7.x and what was the result? 2-3% market share..”

This was mostly due to app availability and not the Metro UI.
Most people LOVED the UI and they still love it on Windows Phone 8.
It is way better than the IOS ui that has not changed in many years.

Tig3RStyluS

And the fact there were only a small number of handset manufacturers offering a small number of models.

Witty Widi

Because those manufacturers hated the UI

http://twitter.com/ComputersGuideB Computer’s GuideBlog

Because People like us wanna feel ahead of technology and have full administrative privileges on our computers and be able to do whatever we want on them!

Arash Jafari

So you want to feel ahead of the technology not actually be ahead of it? You can still do whatever you want on them, it is still Windows and this article in fact proves that point.

Bill Cardiff

I want to install Linux. I can’t because Microsoft won’t let me. I paid $800 for this tower and now the company to created the software on it is telling me I can’t use it unless I use it their way.

If I buy a small car and want to change the tires will the manufacturer of the car tell me no, I can not, as they did not intend it to be operated that way? Arash you either work for Hollywood copywrite trolls or Microsoft.

Chris Bordeman

What do you mean, “Microsoft won’t let me?” Microsoft does not (nor could it) block you from installing another OS on software it also happens to be compatible with. Even on the Surface and Surface Pro, where the hardware itself is a Microsoft design, people can and do install Linux. I’ve seen it!

Let me guess, you are a another ignorant Linux user who works for Canonical?

Witty Widi

Can’t on surface RT without jailbreak, and thus Microsoft does most certainly not allow you to do so.

http://ComputersGuide.blogspot.com/ Computer’s Guide

No I am just another Computer Guru who wants to help the Internet Community Learn that Future computers are promised to be only UEFI based which will disable people from installing any other OS of their choice then the one Microsoft Chooses, Unless people like us do something about it First!

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.stepp Ronald Stepp

A bad UI decision is not “being ahead in technology.” When the UI slows me down in a revision it isn’t a good change.

http://www.tempeteaparty.org Lee Reynolds

New does not necessarily mean better. When something new is an improvement, people embrace it. When that something new is a detriment, people reject it.

People are rejecting Windows 8 because the changes it introduces are a detriment.

It is not the duty of consumers to adjust themselves to the wants and needs of vendors. It is the duty of a vendor to serve the wants and needs of its customers, if it hopes to keep them.

Vendors that do not understand this are beaten in the marketplace by vendors that do.

If you own Microsoft stock, SELL!

Chris

Maybe because I have WORK that needs to get done, and I don’t have time to play “Where the hell did it go”.

http://www.facebook.com/owen.f.devlin Owen F Devlin

Why don’t people like you understand that I use software in my business to make money and every minute I spend having to learn some new interface instead of focusing on running my business costs me money.

It’s not a case of being afraid to learn new ways to do things but having someone explain to me the cost justification for doing so.

Arash Jafari

Excuse me but how much money do you exactly loose in 5 min? That’s the time it takes to learn how the new UI works. It’s not complicated, especially for a superuser but it can feel awkward at first and takes some time to get used to it. For instance it took half a month for the new shutdown procedure to feel natural to me but did that mean I couldn’t use my desktop as before and the productivity got low? No absolutely not.

Did you by the way know that Windows 8 on a desktop can cut the power cycle time up to a minute and that the modern start menu is 3 times faster at launching programs in average compared to the stat classic menu? The numbers are different depending on hardware but I save 30s each time I start and shutdown, which I do daily, compared to Windows 7 and that alone adds to 3 hours a year so learning new things doesn’t always mean lost time.

I develop electronics and software and I often have to read ton of datasheets and documentation which is very time consuming and tiring but it’s a necessity for being able to offer better products. Learning new things comes with the territory in a business and it’s never a bad thing. Windows 8 has received a lot of unjust criticism but if people got over the start button or at least installed a replacement they’d be better for it because Window 8 is the very least a better Windows 7 even if you got rid of the new UI.

xxcorpxx

Exactly

himagain

Arash, You are missing the whole point, here. You are a “techhead”, the rest of us are things like Salespeople,Doctors, Writers, oldies like me.
WE don’t like change! We like things the way they are. BECAUSE it is a pain to change habits – especially when we are stressed by just making a buck today and can be fired – not for incompetence – but just for being 40.
Even Volkswagen who’s motto was “if it works don’t fix it” didn’t leave it alone and forty years later successfully brought back the awful Beetle. :-0

Brian Merica

Total fanboy. Even resort to basically calling people stupid because they don’t like it. How tollerant of you. Go play in traffic with your surface tablet.

nkinzel

You chastise him for name calling, then express your wish for him to have physical harm visited upon him.
Hello pot, I’d like you to meet kettle.

Chris Bordeman

“Total fanboy. Even resort to basically calling people stupid because they don’t like it. How tollerant of you. Go play in traffic with your surface tablet.”

Hypocrite alert!

Hannibal Lector

Because change isn’t always necessary just for the sake of change. Only the complete ignoramuses like yourself and the other miscreants who voted your comment up i.e. The lowest common denominator, would favour a completely pointless core change to what we use; instead of the familiar and inherently better system we had before. What did removing the start button; in your opinion, do for the good of change? Removing a familiar entity which people of all ages identify with and find useful? The more things change (The shitty Metro UI crap), the more things stay the same (Microsoft fanbase bringing back the start button themselves).
Get a clue before posting such bile.

Arash Jafari

I think you should get clue before posting and being ignorant is something I’m definitely not. I’ve used Windows 8 daily for more than a year starting with the Developer Preview and have seen and talked with enough people using it to know that there’s really nothing wrong with the OS but people’s attitude and ignorance.

The start button may have been removed from the taskbar but it’s not gone, it’s just hidden and moved a half inch to the left bottom corner. When that corner is approached the start button which is an actual miniature of the start menu appears and this behavior isn’t any different than the one people who auto-hide their taskbars in previous OS version are used to. When it’s left-clicked (or [Win] is pressed) it brings up the start screen called Start and when right-clicked (or [Win]+x is pressed) it brings up a context menu giving access to the very things some people claim to be gone. The start screen is in-fact a start menu that has many advantages over the classic start menu which people wrongly just call start button. The most prominent is that most installed programs, if not all depending on resolution, are visible at a glance and a single click launches them. Tests have shown that on average the Start is 3 times faster than the old start menu.

Windows 8 is not perfect but it has a lot’s of improvements that go beyond just the new Modern UI but some people instead of learning about these and use them to their benefit despite possible awkwardness at first, just choose to stay ignorant and throw dirt. What’s common for these people’s posts is that they contain a lot of accusations and insults but no facts whatsoever.

Hannibal Lector

But you are a Microsoft employee. So anything you say is invalid.

Arash Jafari

Wow, an accusation… where have I heard that before…
– Facts are facts no matter who presents them.
– Argument can be good or bad but still valid no matter who makes them.
– Opinions may or may not be valid if they belong to a biased person.

Lucio

He must be just a MS fan. If he was an employee, he would care for what his clients want and need, not argue with them, trying to convince them that his ways are the best and they must comply. That would be just stupid.

scott winebrenner

clearly this is a learning curve windows+x showed me a lot
ms employee or not who cares!

The start button may have been removed from the taskbar but it’s not gone, it’s just hidden and moved a half inch to the left bottom corner.
When that corner is approached the start button which is an actual miniature of the start menu appears and this behavior isn’t any different than the one people who auto-hide their taskbars in previous OS version are used to.

When it’s left-clicked (or [Win] is pressed) it brings up the start screen called Start and when right-clicked (or [Win]+x is pressed) it brings up a context menu giving access to the very things some people claim to be gone.
AND the bottom option is….. The ol’ Desktop.
————————–
Works a treat! Thanks! :-)

Ali2044

Oh yeah, the 3 minutes I spend having to remember where the f**k the shutdown key is located now is soooo convenient! All I’ve done since I bought a desktop with Windows 8 is google how to create shortcuts and download patches. Why spend 15+ years teaching your consumers a system to just turn around and say “Nah, we’re not doing that anymore.”

Bonnie Sue

WELL WHY CANT PEOPLE NOT LIKE CHANGES? WHATS THE BIG PROBLEM?THATS JUST GREAT IF YOU LIKE,DONT LIKE,ACCEPT,DONT ACCEPT. CHANGES.THATS YOUR BUSINESS.AND IF SOMEONE ME INCLUDED DONT LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVEING THE START BUTTON.THEN HAVEING IT TAKEN AWAY.ONLY TO MAKE YOU PAY FOR IT.IF YOU WANT IT BACK.IF YOU CANNOT SEE THE PROBLEM SOME PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE.THEN YOU MIGHT NOT BE AS ACCEPT AS YOU TRY TO SOUND!

Dominic Maas

Well it happened lol

Paul Humphreys

What? I rarely ever used the start button and find that the start page is far more useful. I’m growing tired of articles on how to bring back “this” or how to bring back “that”. I installed windows 8 on my sons(13) laptop and he was able to figure things out without any training. I installed windows 8 on my parents(70’s) computer and showed them how to pin the apps they use most often and they have no problems either. Fail? Hardly. Retraining? Yep. So Microsoft if you are going to cave to the Start Button issue, then at least make it an option. Because I, for one, don’t miss the start button at all.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jim-Phong/100001178973449 Jim Phong

More silly pathetic replies of Microsoft employees. No one rarely used the start button on any Windows system since it appeared.

More childish claims and lies to sell a childish kindergarten style failure of an unusable interface that Metro/ModernUI is all about

user 9693

it’s only unusable on desktops on touch it’s usable

http://twitter.com/1972AJM Eric Wright

Maybe Paul Humphreys is one of the 2% people who would use anything they think is new and mainstream, and never admit they really don’t like it, just to look cool.

Did you show them how to actually power off their computer?

OMG! why does it have to be so hard?

Why should I be forced to click more places to power down than sleep a computer?

Microsoft doesn’t pay our power bills, and there’s little green about what they want us to do.. in reality they just want us to have always on connections back to their lair.

LOL

I am only half kidding…

Technically, I use the quick start bar more than anything else in XP or win7…

Windows 8 can die… I’ll wait for Windows 9…

Arash Jafari

If you like Win7 there’s no reason why you shouldn’t like Win8 since it is a better Win7 Modern UI aside. You can shutdown with the physical power button, swipe right to left and tap the power button or with the mouse which contrary to what you’re saying is still the same amount of clicks as in Win7.
Touch is not going away so waiting for Win9 will only make the transition harder for you.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jim-Phong/100001178973449 Jim Phong

Who wants touch buys and iPad. Only sheep waste their precious money on lazy badly designed products like the Microsoft Metro/ModernUI ones.

Arash Jafari

Apple Fan Boys buy iPads. If you want to get real work done there’s no substitute for Windows – sure it’s not perfect and has its issues that sometimes give you headache but it’s about choice and gives you the freedom to do what you want on what you want.

You certainly are entitled to your opinion but I wonder, do you even have put your hands on a Surface RT? Not only is the surface the most well-designed product I’ve ever seen it works perfectly with Win8. People have a hard time imagining the extra dimension in efficiency and productivity touch brings them even on big-ass desktop like mine but they will soon enough learn for themselves.

Albert Giuiano

” efficiency” is the whole problem, without the start menu a simple 1 or 2 step has turned into a a keyboard / mouse acrobatic act. I’m all for change but not mindless change.. efficiency would mean a task is performed less steps not more. Most people can’t get the simple concept of creating a shortcut, throwing this mess at them will just drive them to something easier… like a mac… of course after they take a small loan and get that mac they discover the breath taking lack of applications they always had with windows… this will lead them to buy paralles and put a copy of Win 7 on. Hmm almost sounds like a plan thought up by a unified Apple – MS joint venture… win win for both comapnies.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jim-Phong/100001178973449 Jim Phong

Windows7 licenses soon won’t be available anymore. Microsoft is going to release Windows Blue as a new Windows8 version upgrade still with MetroUI in just 6 months mid-2013.

At Microsoft they are on crack indeed.

Microsoft could go bankrupt on this mess. And they surely deserve that.

http://www.facebook.com/xxcorpxx Chris Woodward

Did Microsoft touch you when you were a kid? holy cow man, relax with the hate.

Roger Dancy

LOL. I know this is a old post, but that’s funny.

http://www.facebook.com/xxcorpxx Chris Woodward

=)

Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.stepp Ronald Stepp

How about chilling out with the “hate” labels?

Arash Jafari

With the Classic Start Menu, if your target app wasn’t pinned to the taskbar and didn’t appeared on the recent app list, then in the best case it required a start button click, click/hover on all programs, click on the parent folder and a final click to launch. That’s 4 actions and would be 6 or more if you had to scroll down and go deeper in the folder tree.

With the Modern Start Menu there is always 2 actions to launch the target app. If you’ve low resolution then scrolling is needed but since the start screen follows your mouse it does not count as separate action like in the Classic where you’ve to grab and move the scrollbar or spin the scroll-wheel.

Bill Cardiff

Pardon? What if you installed a free software package? Where is it? What if you want to read an accompanying document? 2 clicks??? Did you drink the coolaide while interning at Microsoft??

http://www.facebook.com/rubecker Robiara Ubiratan Becker

Stop feeding this f** troll.

Bill Cardiff

“It’s about choice” – Microsoft has taken that away – what choice is there??

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.stepp Ronald Stepp

Which explains why Microsoft hasn’t been able to make a usable tablet all these years. Or wait, no it doesn’t.

user 9693

Windows 8(RT) is way better on touch .what about the money your kind of people give to apple just to get an apple logo nothing more than that.

Mricehouse

ALT+F4 and 1 mouse click and you can shutdown, restart, sleep, sign out or switch users. Not that hard. I don’t see what people are complaining about. Windows 8 is faster even on a lower end computer. I think half of the people complaining about it have never used it and just read the reviews on it. There are many shortcuts for Windows 8 that are easier than XP or 7. Windows Key + Q shows all programs, use your scroll wheel on the mouse to move side to side. Much easier that the start menu. I could go on and on. Plus it only cost me $40 compared to $299 for 7 Ultimate.

http://www.facebook.com/xxcorpxx Chris Woodward

exactly =) I love all this gripe about a start button. I’d love to go compile a list of all the articles and complaints about how stupid the start button was over the years.

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.stepp Ronald Stepp

And yet… it worked over the years with no major reeducation required unlike Win8.

Mricehouse

ALT+F4 and 1 mouse click and you can shutdown, restart, sleep, sign out or switch users. Not that hard. I don’t see what people are complaining about. Windows 8 is faster even on a lower end computer. I think half of the people complaining about it have never used it and just read the reviews on it. There are many shortcuts for Windows 8 that are easier than XP or 7. Windows Key + Q shows all programs, use your scroll wheel on the mouse to move side to side. Much easier that the start menu. I could go on and on. Plus it only cost me $40 compared to $299 for 7 Ultimate.

http://www.facebook.com/rubecker Robiara Ubiratan Becker

I like W8, it is fast and stable. I love the new interface, when I am using a touch device. I just don’t want to use it when I am on a desktop computer without a touch screen. IS THIS HARD TO UNDERSTAND?

http://www.facebook.com/rubecker Robiara Ubiratan Becker

I like W8, it is fast and stable. I love the new interface, when I am using a touch device. I just don’t want to use it when I am on a desktop computer without a touch screen. IS THIS HARD TO UNDERSTAND?

user 9693

it’s windows blue coming next year

Paul Humphreys

Ha..Ha.. nice. Tell me how many clicks it takes you to shut down a computer running Windows 7, OS X or any flavor of Unix. I don’t like things because of their “cool factor” and to assume that I do is rather presumptuousness on your part. Keep in mind that making character assassinations as your opening statement just minimizes the worth of anything else you say.

user 9693

wow ! new features in the start screen:-
-fullscreen start menu to take your mind off whatever work you are doing and distroy your whole concentration
-4-5 seconds just to click shutdown
-learn more and more keyboard command to search not all in one but different for file diff for apps and diff for settings conclusion more time + more difficult
-no structured way to see your installed application rather you have to move in a whole new full screen look and drag here and there complete waste of time

Windows 8 is made for kids or people who have nothing in there life other than to waste their time ( I’m talking about desktops not tablets)

http://www.facebook.com/xxcorpxx Chris Woodward

who is liking this comment? for real?
This is so much nonsense.

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.stepp Ronald Stepp

So they’re going against the general trend of slow sales for this version? Would you accept it if everybody disagreed with it?

noc007

I watched Jensen Harris’ presentation on why they did what they did with the Start Screen: http://vimeo.com/52173464 It makes sense and made me hate Metro a little less. I do agree that the client version of the OS needs an interface that can switch to being touch friendly on non-touch. The jury is still out for me on whether it is as groundbreaking as they intended it to be.

I can see the value for those that focus on a single task or dick around, but for many office users and “power users” Metro is more of a burden than helpful. At least they still think that when doing actual work, the desktop interface is needed by evidence of Office 2013 and they even went one step further by giving the option to make it more touch friendly. I believe they should have made it an option to enable the Start Menu instead of taking it away. Give people a chance to progress over to the change and perhaps get feedback and make improvements before yanking it out.

Taking the Start Menu away in Server 2012 and leaving us with Metro was a bad move as well. Sure it will force more to use the command line and find different ways of accomplishing the same task. However, just trying to open the Start Screen in a RDP session is a PITA especially if one is under a lot of stress at the moment.

http://www.facebook.com/xxcorpxx Chris Woodward

Only till you get used to it. Everything new requires a transition period.
Try using a Windows XP machine after using Windows Vista, 7 and now 8 for so long. You have to relearn where that stuff was. Drives me nutz when I have to work on an XP machine now. So inefficient.

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.stepp Ronald Stepp

I guess that’s why lots of power users still prefer XP to Windows 7, Steve Gibson of grc.com comes to mind, though he is slowly thawing towards Windows 7.

http://www.facebook.com/xxcorpxx Chris Woodward

Dinosaur = extinction
Adapt

Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.stepp Ronald Stepp

Wow.. so if we don’t buy every new version of windows when the existing versions work fine we die off? What a wonderful corporate world view. Buy the newest pre-service pack software with all the new bugs and design bugs or else bad things happen to you.

Can I go ahead and give microsoft or apple a few thousand dollars so I can reserve my spot for future windows 9, 10, 11, and so on? I sure don’t want to fall behind the curve and become extinct.

http://www.facebook.com/xxcorpxx Chris Woodward

This is an old thread and an old argument…
I would never deploy a new OS straight away. I personally wait at least 1 year and then roll the latest OS out with new deployments. However, if it weren’t for the complication of large deployments and of course the cost associated with these deployments, all companies would or should be on Windows 7 by now. I found it counterproductive to downgrade a new computer’s OS and more costly in the long run.
I will always adopt the latest OS so I know it inside and out. Windows 8, is a little bit of change and many people don’t like change. Too bad for them because change can be a good thing. The more I use Windows 8, the less I like working in older non touchable OS’s. Touch of course isn’t for everything but, it has its place and the more you use it the more you will understand how well it plays into the old mix of keyboard and mouse.

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.stepp Ronald Stepp

Roger that. Excellent point and one I am taking to heart. Hopefully in the months or years to come they might actually fix the issues with 8, till then I am sticking with 7.

http://twitter.com/darentrogers Daren Rogers

I assumed I’d hate the the start screen in Win 8, and I probably would if I ever saw it. I have, and have had since Vista, all my most frequented apps pinned to my task bar. I don’t notice the lack of a start menu and I really like the right side hot corners to quickly get to the settings menu. All in all, it’s not as bad as it seemed like it would be before I upgraded.

(Though to be fair, I basically just use pinned icons on the taskbar — I very, very rarely use Metro)

Paul Humphreys

This is how I use Windows 8 as well. Though I do have some “Windows Store” apps that I like to use every now and then.

http://www.facebook.com/xxcorpxx Chris Woodward

Exactly!

user 9693

you can’t pin everything you need a hierarchical arrangement of application and a better interface to search your settings and applications not a disgusting fullscreen just to search for .

Aezen

Only if you’re bad

user 9693

use CUI you’re so smart you dont need GUI

http://www.facebook.com/xxcorpxx Chris Woodward

See, now why the hell can’t you state that in the article? You are attracting the attention of haters and all you end up with here is a bash-fest. Makes no sense.

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.stepp Ronald Stepp

Disagreeing with you on a blog is not “hating.” Maybe the fact that the overwhelming majority of people don’t like Win8 should set some alarms ringing, not just the standard “oh they’re OBVIOUSLY haters.”

Arash Jafari

Using W8 for almost a year now I never missed the start menu once cause since WinXP I always hid the taskbar so I feel nothing has changed except that the start menu now covers the whole screen. What I’ve notice thought is that I find what I’m looking for much more quickly, no more scrolling and going down in folder trees, and on top of that I see if there’s any news, mail or score update at a glance.

mori bund

It’s too funny: for year Windows-fans made fun of Linux as system you have to tinker with to make it work your way.

Now – while tinker-days of Linux are (almost) over – the same people have to tinker around with Windows 8 to get even some basic features like a Start-button back.

Karma can be a bitch! ^^

John Mcnally

Best way to get the start button back, along with a much better UI all together is to format, and install windows 7.

max999

LOL! I was going to say that! LOL! You beat me to it!

Arash Jafari

So you mean just because you fail to see the advantages of the start screen you should miss out on Everything else that’s great with Win8? Win8 with the Modern UI aside is a much improved Win7 and if not having a classic start menu pains you so much just add a new toolbar with “C:ProgramDataMicrosoftWindowsStart MenuPrograms” and you’ll get most of your precious back free of charge.

http://www.facebook.com/xxcorpxx Chris Woodward

Dude, these people here are so damn ass backwards it’s a loss cause.
I’ve tried my hardest to talk some sense into them. Don’t really matter. They just like to hear themselves bitch because it sounds like the cool thing to bash Windows 8 these days. They sound like crotchety old fools though. Anyone with half a brain and capable of adapting to a few changes can handle and love 8 for all the new and great things that it has to offer.

Roger Dancy

Dude! Name the advantages.

http://www.facebook.com/xxcorpxx Chris Woodward

I don’t need to, they are many and they are easy to find and experience. Its up to you to disprove. I’m willing to here the disadvantages if any. Please name them.
Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920

Roger Dancy

Wow Chris. I would expect that reply from Microsoft. Just do a little more reading. Don’t get me wrong it’s a good start for touch but too drastic for the Desktop.

http://www.facebook.com/xxcorpxx Chris Woodward

Still waiting for what is wrong. Not what is something that needs a day or two to get used to.
Sent from my Nokia Lumia 920

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.stepp Ronald Stepp

Windows 8 does weird things like logging out of running apps and demanding you enter username and password again. Why? No idea, it just does it.

Right top corner menu thing, too inconsistent and hard to use, sometimes once you do get it to pop out of right side, as you mouse down and go just a hair too far left, it closes up and you have to go back to corner.

Logging in, sometimes you just want the darn thing to startup to the account instead of wanting a username and forced password longer than x characters. This is for when you want to set up a home theater pc, and you absolutely just want to skip the login. When you only have a remote and no mouse or keyboard handy, this is a real bitch.

I could probably name more but only been using it a month.

Chris Bordeman

Go to PC Settings. You can set up a 4 digit numeric PIN to unlock, and you can also set it to not require a password to unlock at all except at initial login (boot up).

Tig3RStyluS

I have Windows 8 on my media pc in the lounge and cannot fathom what you are complaining about. If im reading you right, you want to autologin to the device so you dont need to login to windows using a local account with your keyboard.. as far as i can guess (i would never use autologin) you can do that as you could on windows 7 and previous versions of windows. If you are referring to logging into a MS account automatically, i will check that but again i wouldnt leave my devices with autologin to any online services.

Jml

M$ Winblows 8 has 2 UI’s 1 IS MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR AN OS THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! ALSO The Start Screen is UGLY AND TAKES UP THE WHOLE SCREEN!!!!

xformulax

He obviously works for microsoft, who else would use a windows phone?

Raymond Cox

I have a Windows Phone, and I know plenty of people who do. I’ve always run into many strangers who have a Windows Phone. I never got caught up in the iPhone hype, so I never had a reason to by one. The first smart phone I ever had was a Windows Mobile device. I was somewhat partial to Motorola and Samsung brands because their non-smart phones were the only ones where you could apply your pin lock to individual applications. So, when I got a chance to get a Samsung Blackjack at a good price, I decided to check it out. I had all 3 phones in the series, and when the last one was damaged, I got a good price on a Windows 7 phone from a friend who sales phones on Ebay. I’ve never had a problem with it, the best phone I ever had. My only small issues with it were it didn’t have all the dating/social network apps Android/iOS have and some issues that were specific to the manufacturer. I will likely get another Windows Phone. I just won’t get one from this brand.

Tig3RStyluS

Windows Phone is gaining share and will continue to do so. Its kinda hard to get share when MS had only a tiny number of handsets running WP. Now the number of manufacturers is increasing and they are broadening their range of devices offering Windows Phone 8 at many different pricepoints. Windows Phone 8 is gaining especially quickly in Europe and i expect will do in emerging markets with more handsets available at affordable pricepoints for those markets. I dont own a WP yet, my partner has a Lumia 920 and it smokes everything else ive had my hands, i prefer it to the S3, i cant stand looking at my phone anymore it seems so dated with its old fashioned looking OS and the camera on 920 is amazing.. Lumia 920 will be my next phone, the HTC 8X comes close too. And no, i dont work for MS, i work for another company who makes technology products.

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.stepp Ronald Stepp

“Its true because I say its true.” Logic Fail.

Jml

YOU AN ID10T YOU M$ FANBOI. Posting from an M$ WINBLOWS PHONE!!! You advice can’t be taken SERIOUSLY!!!!!

Raymond Cox

ok

Jml

M$ Windows 8 HAS NOTHING NEW TO OFFER PERIOD!!!!!!

Debaditya Chatterjee

what about native support for mounting ISOs, a built in pdf reader(albeit metro), more stability & vastly reduced BSODs? i’m no “M$ FANBOI”, but these are quite useful, especially for me, since i regularly download pirated games most of which are as ISOs. not to forget native hardware acceleration.

Jml

That is useful but M$ Winblows 8 is as ugly as a day old shit!!!!

Debaditya Chatterjee

i would like to point out that visual appeal is a matter of opinion and varies from person-to-person. i, however, am of your opinion………….

http://twitter.com/Sonic_98 BHZ

And has that ever stopped anyone from getting any OS out there from any software maker out there?

Ron Brown

enjoy your minority status

SteveGrobler

Sorry mate, but you must be new to Windows because you obviously don’t understand the issues. Some say that Microsoft has lost their way. I say they never had a roadmap in the first place. Windows 8 is terrible and buggy. Windows 7 and Vista were no better. Windows XP was the best. And no, I’m not resistant to change. Windows 8 has no “new and great things to offer” that are of any relevance to me as a desktop user. The metro interface is just trash.

NotYetRated

You are calling XP better than Windows7? I don’t think I have heard that one before. Thank you for giving me a good laugh this morning. :)

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.stepp Ronald Stepp

There are plenty of people who prefer it to 7. Given that I personally think 7 was the best version they ever released, WinXP has the advantage of being a stable and reliable workhorse for what it does.

Chris Bordeman

“There are plenty of people who prefer it to 7.”

Don’t exaggerate.

KEZZEZ

windows xp was and still is the best OS that windows has come out with. and windows 95 was better than vista. windows 2000 was garbage. windows 7 was good but xp was so much lighter it was blazing fast compared to win7.

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.stepp Ronald Stepp

XP is the best for the specific use cases that some people need, overall I think 7 is the best because it has much better driver support and far less BSOD’s than even XP.

xformulax

you’re high on crack… 2000 was not garbage, I think you’re confusing it with WinME. 2000 was better than XP up until sp2 or sp3. I still love XP, half our machines at work are still on XP and i’ll keep them there as long as I can, not because there is anything wrong with 7 (i prefer 7), but these old people at work are fucking stupid when it comes to computers and I’d rather not train them.

mrbenz7

I had nothing but problems with windows XP! I think I must have sent a Phoenix AZ telephone directory of error reports to miscrosoft!

http://www.facebook.com/Kezzez8 Daniel Younker

I would call your problems operator error.

Arash Jafari

I’ve been with Windows since 3.1 and have run all of’em except ME. I ran XP for 5 years and loved it but now I can’t even imagine going back to 7. There are no issues just fear of change.

Jonyjams Computers

Your kinda full of poop yo

bo diddle

I have been using windows 8 for nearly a year, and now with the latest exclusively I have no issues. it runs quicker, boots quicker,and i like pokki for the classic menu. My machine is dual boot win7 ultimate/win8 pro. soon to be exclusively win 8. no program I have attempted to run has failed to run.

But then I don’t play any games. Most people when they look at my set up ask why I am not running win8. If you cant figure out which start replacement to install then you are too stupid to own a computer.

Tig3RStyluS

I have same config as you, i have zero issues not having a start button or using Windows 8 and dont even boot into windows 7 anymore. Out of curiosity i installed start 8 but took it off when i had satisfied the curiosity. I dont need a start button but for those that do, the Start8 is an excellent choice. I did look at the other stardock apps and have since purchased one that allows more start screen customisation, I forget what its called (im on a different device right now), but its good for those that appreciate the choice of customising their start screen UI or get start8 if you want to customise the classic desktop UI. $4.99 is hardly expensive especially considering Microsoft virtually gave away windows 8 with its upgrade pricing.

Debaditya Chatterjee

xp was a reliable and deeply-rooted consumer favourite that captured a huge portion of the consumer desktop computing market. vista was another embarrassment. but windows 7 really is the best till date, and probably will be for another 4-5 years. & no, win7 is not better, it’s just more progressive.

Raymond Cox

I’ve never had a single problem with Windows 7. I’ve used it at home and at work. I’ve used it on desktops, laptops, and tablets. I don’t know anyone who’s ever told me they prefer Windows XP other than people who never want anything to change or can’t stand the slightest inconviences, for example having to download the Windows 7 driver for something they have an XP disc for or XP had by default. I’ve never known anyone that could point me to a valid reason they couldn’t use Windows 7

SteveGrobler

To name but just one very serious issue with Windows 7, if you expose an MP3 collection to windows 7, it will automatically update the ID3 tags without your permission. If there are any user specified fields in the ID3 tags, the MP3 file will be corrupted. In my case, I ended up with over 25,000 corrupted files. Google for the problem yourself. What makes this worse, is that it has been a well reported problem for over three years and MS hasn’t done a thing about it. Anther perspective… my MP3 files are MY files. If it was any other program damaging them, I would call it a virus.
Anyone who does multimedia programming (as I do) will also know that MS has changed various aspects of the Windows API in Vista and W7 that impact the performance and function of a program that worked perfectly under Windows XP. Only MS will change the behaviour of an existing function call. All other OS vendors will introduce a new call rather than change an existing one to ensure backward compatibility. So, I say again, MS don’t have a road map that they stick to.

doodad69

I’m beginning to think that you were the design manager or part of the Windows 8 team, Arash. Why else would you so vociferously defend something most people obviously do not like?

Arash Jafari

I’m not and I’d defend anything against ignorance and false claims. I’ve however no problem with people disliking Windows 8 with or without giving it an honest chance.

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.stepp Ronald Stepp

Think on this, some people think some of what you are saying falls into the area of ignorance and uneducated claims. Sometimes we don’t see the inconsistencies in our own reasoning while we attack the reasoning of other people.

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.stepp Ronald Stepp

Given what I have heard about Synofsky, it doesn’t surprise me that he went with the “my way or the highway” school of OS revision.

Arash, I just did what you suggested, and I’m hard pressed to see how that in any way replaces the start menu. I don’t know how you use your computer. Aside from taking up three rows for the entire length of my task tray, it accomplished nothing useful. Looking at the chatter below about the relative merits of different versions of Microsoft’s OS sounds mainly like school yard bickering. But, your post at least proposed a possible solution that I expected to look, and feel at least vaguely like the functionality that I lost when I moved from Windows 7 to Windows 8. Aside from offering some explanation of why you think your ‘solution’ was even close to useful, why don’t you enumerate your list of what is so ‘great’ about Windows 8? Aside from taking me more mouse clicks, to do the same thing, and making the most basic tasks painful, I’m yet to see one ‘feature’ that I find useful. My full screen start menu streaches for the better part of 5 screens. I never use it because it always opens the application like it was the only thing you are running. (I tend to have 15 to 30 applications running simultaneously, and I pretty much NEVER want anything to take up all of my screen real estate.) Personally, I think it’s a mediocre entry into the tablet interface, and seriously misses the mark for system administrators and developers by a mile. With that said, I’m yet to have it crash. And the security model is not bad. I will say that the disk manager failed to mirror my drives until I reformatted them both. Something I would never have had to do on one of my Linux boxes, or, on a Mac. Basically, they need to take the entire staff at Microsoft that made the incredibly stupid decision to remove the start menu, and fire the bunch.

Arash Jafari

Jerry, thanks for the reply, I really appreciate your response. Long ago I compiled a list comparing Windows 8 to 7 which contains 15 items on the + side and 3 on the – side. There’s hardly any time and space here to get into all of’em so I’ll just stay on topic with the Start (Menu) which happens to be the first item on the list. I understand you don’t care much about the new start menu and I respect that but here is how I see it.

The start button is not gone it’s just hidden until you go to the bottom left hot-corner. The start menu covers the whole screen and while it annoys some it shows most of your programs at a glance to launch with a single click. On my 27” screen I see 72 120×120 tiles with 48×48 icons within in named groups so locating programs is easy especially if you’ve gotten used to their locations. I ran a test launching 50 programs from a random list both on 7 and 8 and I found 2 things: Windows 8 Start is 3 times faster on average and contrary to the classic menu it never is interrupted by a loading application. Just to get a feel of the times involved launching MPLABX took 7.9s on 7 compared to 2.6s on 8 and the non-hierarchical nature of Start and absence of list-scrolling is the explanation.

Another benefit is the ability of locating and/or grouping the icons anyway you like in Start which you couldn’t do before without breaking program setups. For instance you can create a favorite group or a work and home group which you move first in matter of seconds depending on where you’re. The partial matching is very useful in quickly locating the item you’re looking for especially if you’re not sure about the name and the search can be computer-wide and categorized with file sub-categories or it can be restricted to within an application. If you prefer to look in a list then you’ve the “All Apps” button on Start and you can even pin the “All Tasks”. You can virtually pin anything to the Start even different internal portions of an App if it supports it. The modern Apps are inferior to their desktop counterpart but their live tiles can get you an overview of what’s going on instantly without even having opened them previously.

What happened to the Run Box you may ask and the answer is “Start does the same thing”, just type or paste the command and it will run. Some commands may require paths to be included, e.g. %windir%system32rundll32.exe, for it to work but fact is that any explorer address bar can equivalently be used as a run box. However, the run box is not gone, if you right click on the start menu hot corner instead of a left click than you get a wonderfully handy context menu. Anyway, if the command requires elevation then the only choices are the run box launched from the task manager file menu or the admin command prompt.

The recent item in the classic menu was very useful but it was restricted to only 13 items. By pinning your favorite programs to the taskbar you get as many as you set in the jump lists property in a categorized fashion, even for control panel items. If you want to access all the recent items at once then your only built-in choice is to run this in an elevated command prompt:

I don’t know what happened when you tested my suggestion but as you may already have figured out I don’t see that as a solution for the start button because I think the new Start is superior to the old menu and just needs a positive attitude and some getting used to. I do however find my suggestion as a great complement to the Start because you don’t want to pin everything to it especially when you install developer tools that have countless items you only use time to time. Below you can hopefully find an old image of my toolbar pointing to %ProgramData%MicrosoftWindowsStart Menu .

Remember that you can unlock the taskbar and rearrange things so that it doesn’t take up rows. Also you can remove “programs” from the path as I suggested above. You can add anything you like to this start menu which is more or less the start menu you had in XP.

Shortcuts you might like to create: (for instance in a folder called Shutdown under Start Menu folder)

Folder you might want to create and pin to start or dump in the Start Menu path:

All Tasks.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

Windows isn’t perfect but you at least can do anything you want and you’ll always have choices even if they come from a 3rd party.

crunch

It’s not that easy. With Windows 8 you are locket out of installing any other os. To do it, you have to flash the bios to one that supports Windows 7.
My first reaction after buying a new laptop was to format it and install windows 7. but after a few hours of failing i found out it was not possible. It seems microsoft has anticipated this and made that move.

jkarov

That depends on what hardware you buy. If the vendor locks the BIOS to require a certificate at boot time, you do have an issue. Best to check the BIOS on newer machines to ensure that other OS’s can be installed without problem before buying.

Some retailers would probably accept that as a return since you can’t use it for your older OS.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jim-Phong/100001178973449 Jim Phong

The whole UEFI locking users to Windows8 is more a fraud than anything else. The sad thing is that no consumer association dares suing either the OEM manufacturers doing such a disgusting thing nor Microsoft. Nowadays consumers associations are cowards clearly.

Debaditya Chatterjee

i had windows 7 ultimate x64 & wanted to try windows 8. so i “burned” the iso i downloaded into a 4GB flash drive. then i formatted & cleared one of my internal partitions to prepare it to install windows 8 on. then i booted from the flash drive and then the windows 8 installer started. during the installation take care to choose “custom installation” and to select the disk that was prepared earlier. its recommended that rename the partition from Local Disk X beforehand to something more recognizable so we dont have to memorize it’s volume label. then once you’re sure the installation is taking place on the correct disk/partition, continue as it is. from now on, everytime u start your pc, you’ll see a boot menu & will have to choose which os to boot. i had windows 7 installed on c:drive by default, so i installed it to d:drive. when you want to remove windows 8, (which i’m sure you’ll be wanting to do once you’ve had enough) boot into windows 7. then go to start>run>msconfig>boot tab. right-click on windows 8 from the list of OSes. click delete button & hit yes button on the confirmation dialog.

James Gard

Did a downgrade on an HP Pavilion G6 Laptop from 8 x64 to 7 x64. Had to turn on legacy support in the BIOS to get it to recognize Windows 7 as an operating system.

yaz

what if i dont have windows 7 cd :P

http://twitter.com/bendek_inspeak Bendek

better to install XP

Arash Jafari

The start button is still there in the same corner but is hidden until you go there, no functionality has been lost and there are many improvements.

Zanshi

That’s not the Start menu, that’s the Start Screen hiding in the corner in desktop mode! There’s a difference, and the Start Screen is a HORRIBLE replacement on a non-touch PC!

mori bund

No functionality is lost?

Great!

So then I can make it easily smaller so that it doesn’t cover up the whole screen, I can sort my shortcuts in small, space saving folders, I can make a compact list of recently used programs or recently used files, I can generally make this ugly, space wasting abomination much compacter and smaller…

Xavier

You still have to tinker with Linux, the clean desktop area has hidden a lot of functions for different distros, seriously having to google how to get to programs and features that use to reside in a menu… And surprise, they are other source Docks (Mac-like) and options for recreating menus/toolbars. Pretty much why I sidelined Fedora and Ubuntu for the short term.

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.stepp Ronald Stepp

And yet, even today, Linux isn’t used by the majority of people who are not computer geeks. They prefer a simpler way to do the things they do. Windows and Mac gives them what they need without being geeky difficult. You would think by now Linux would have figured out how to make itself simpler for normal people.

mori bund

If you know anything about OS’ generally and Linux especially, you would know that it is a lot more complicated than “Linux isn’t simple enough for users”.

There are a lot of other reasons, like Linux is made by a community that hasn’t the marketing possibilities (ever seen a TV-commercial for Linux) or budget to take measures to increase its market share.

And if you seriously think that the product with the biggest market share is automatically the best product you’re pretty new to this planet.

There seem to be very few normal people still using Windows. Do you have any idea how ridiculous it is to complain about a button even though you know good and well how to activate the start menu.

Arash Jafari

Yes it’s shocking!

http://twitter.com/1972AJM Eric Wright

great article.

Still not interested in Windows 8, but it’s nice to know if I didn’t have a choice, I could at least have my sanity back..

Thanks.

http://twitter.com/GorillaDaGoon Juan Gotti

LOL, bottom line a Windows 7 user will have a more enjoyable experience using Apple OSX or Linux then they would have using Windows 8. Good job MS you just made Apple marketing and making the switch to Linux that much easier.

Jerry Chicago

You, apparently, are not a Windows user, nor have you used Win 8.

Win 8 is fast.. very fast. And, even without any add-ons, one click on the “Desktop” tile on the metro interface takes you to your desktop.. Is that so hard?

http://www.facebook.com/gary.wallace.92 Gary Wallace

I’m a Windows user and agree with Juan. I’ve used XP, W7 and now have W8. Only reason I didn’t switch to Apple was because of price. I don’t mind W8, but I’m pretty much a desktop user and that’s why I don’t like it as much as 7. Apple was smart to keep phone and tablet OS’s distinct and different than their PC’s.

I have just started with windows 8 and have already had so many problems with it. Like where the hell is the simple back button on my internet browser! HOLY CRAP! the start button is not even that big of an issue My phone is windows 7 and I love it! But this on a pc is not easy to use! I bought my last computer when vista; came out, and had problems with it too!! XP was far more reliable! It isn’t really about learning new things and being afraid of that but it really sucks when you are putting in a business order and need to go back one page and have to go through a bunch of steps to get there. I do not love apple but it would be nice if all the changes with windows 8 came with a tutorial like where in the hell simple buttons went, not what a tile is…come on we know what that is. Maybe I don’t know my computers but now searching the internet is a whole new experience and not a good one. I just went to post this comment and it sent me to a page I was on earlier today..i had to right click and choose the page I wanted,,did I ever want to leave this page,,I think not! Did I already see that recipe and move on? Yes! If I want to look up that page I will go there again on my own!

Tig3RStyluS

right click and the address bar appears at the bottom with nav buttons (including back) and other buttons appear to the left and right of the address bar. Also any other open pages (like tabs in older browsers or desktop browser) appear at the top. Finding pages you were on before is quite simple too. I would recommend that you follow Microsoft and Windows on facebook, they post some useful tips and i think these would help you, theres also lots of tutorials online… heres one for you to start with and see the links to the others on that page. Hope its helpful.

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.stepp Ronald Stepp

Microsoft just doesn’t seem to understand that the desktop is different than a phone or a tablet. You just cannot ram home a mobile UI onto the desktop and expect it to work, any more than you can ram home that people need an attached mouse or stylus to use their phone or tablet.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jim-Phong/100001178973449 Jim Phong

http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20121128PD215.html “Upstream supply chain sees Surface RT orders cut by half sources from the upstream supply chain believe the new operating system may not perform as well as expected in the market. […]Microsoft originally expected to ship four million Surface RT devices by the end of 2012, but has recently reduced the orders by half to only two million units.”

Windows9 is coming soon then. If people don’t drink Microsoft marketing machine lies kool aid it’s over soon for the atrocious childish unusable Metro/ModernUI nonsense.
At least one would hope so. Unless Microsoft investors want the Corporation to go bankrupt following Ballmer and his lazy gang.

Arash Jafari

Well if this is true it just means that Microsoft were too optimistic about the WinRT demand. It’s still too early to judge how W8 is doing but I’m sure that all the undeservingly negative articles from ignorant and incompetent journalists have scared off a lot of people.

Personally I wish Micorsoft never had created WinRT and instead concentrated more on W8 and WP8 while continuing to keep the well-guarded Surface (Pro) secret until Haswell arrived. Waiting for W9 won’t change anything specially since touch is not going anywhere.

meddle0ne

I went with the Asus Vivo RT for my wife. Surface may or may not be better, but I have no way to try it out so I went with the product that I knew was awesome. After using Windows 8 and really being blown away by the improvements I don’t feel like I can trust mainstream tech reviews anymore.

http://www.facebook.com/xxcorpxx Chris Woodward

Not on this site at least.

It’s always makes for a good laugh though.

noc007

No love for StartIsBack (startisback.com)? It leverages existing start menu code that is left over from 7 and it doesn’t require a Service to run. It also puts your straight to the desktop every time unlike some of the others that may not because the service needs to start before Windows throws Metro at you.

user 9693

It looks like windows 7 and do not match with the windows 8 thats why i don’t use it
i prefer start8

Knowbody

Version 1.2 allows you to use msstyles to change the appearance of the start menu, and comes with a Windows 8 style one included as well as the default windows 7 style one

Having it look like Win7 is a small price to pay for something I use quite a bit. Like Knowbody mentioned, they’re in development to use msstyles so your comment is moot.

The big pluses for me are it leverages existing code, doesn’t run as a service, will hit the desktop each and every time, and it’s cheaper. Unless they’ve changed their pricing recently, Start8 is $5/license; StartIsBack is $3 for 2 licenses and $5 for 5 licenses.

http://twitter.com/ValDorta Vladimir Dorta

With Classic Shell I get straight to the desktop every time. And it’s free.

noc007

Looks like they’ve updated article since I last commented to include StartIsBack. If you like ClassicShell, good for you. Personally I didn’t like it. It felt bloated and the UI, though customizable, didn’t have the native features I was looking for. I was happy to raid the change jar for the $3 it cost for the license to end a bunch of frustration.

http://www.mrseb.co.uk/ Sebastian Anthony

Yep, we updated the story :)

http://twitter.com/iWankTV Raphael Baker

“How to turn windows 8 into windows 7”

deathline

“Classic Shell is free, closed-source donationware” which is hosted in Sourceforge???

http://www.mrseb.co.uk/ Sebastian Anthony

Good point! Will fix, thanks.

cc

It honestly wasn’t a bad idea considering most peoples desktops are growing in screens, if your really wanting a start menu why don’t you go purchase a touch screen and convert it over to a start menu? That’s what this OS was designed to do! The problem I have is the world seems to be getting dumber because it doesn’t want to learn something new! Stop being lazy and Enjoy using windows 8 while its here! Besides the start menu still resides in the lower left corner as it used to it’s just moved to a bigger screened format to fit the apps more abruptly into the design!

If your going to comment, at least say something intelligible. Unlike other people who posted on this thread that they didnt like windows 8, your comments always contain insults, are childish and paint you as some kind of brainwashed zealot. If you love OSX and Linux so much thats fine, dont buy WIndows 8 and dont use it, we already established that you have never tried it.

Jml

How Naive I did try Windows 8 and I HATED IT!!!!!

http://www.facebook.com/crush.kittykitty Crush Kittykitty

meanwhile I’m sitting back on my Ubuntu watching as people try to make windows 8 better in the end its still windows if your going threw all this why not just choose a operating system that lets you choose in the first place? here is a good place to start https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEREE0J-XJ4
or you can always go here as wellhttp://ubuntutheotheros.webs.com/
all im saying is you do have a choice

Mricehouse

Linux is fine for some people, but I do work on my computer, my invoice software not to mention my Adobe CS5 does not work on Linux, Sure there is The Gimp and Scribus and Inkscape but it’s not very productive. I’ll stick with Windows 8 on the laptop and Windows 7 Ultimate on the desktop.

http://www.facebook.com/crush.kittykitty Crush Kittykitty

I work on mine everyday and yes Adobe needs to port it what invoice software?

Mricehouse

I’m using Express Invoice, I probably could find something that works on Linux but then I’d have to re input all my data, I find Windows 7 and 8 work just fine for me, I used to try many distros of Linux, Mint was the best but lack of Adobe support was a big issue.

http://www.facebook.com/brian.small.524 Brian Small

MS has a very definite reason for totally removing the start menu. Metro is all about advertising money. Those menu tiles are apps, they are dynamic, and thus represent the potential for ongoing “interaction” with the end user .. Think .. sales / advertising .. etc.

MS KNOWS that if they allowed us to continue to use the un-intrusive old start menu, a great many of us would. They want to force us to “buy in” to their new sales paradigm.

Instead of catering to the needs of their customer base MS wants to beat Apple at their own game. What WE want is immaterial to them.

What they don’t understand is that Apple people are NOT MS people, and we MS people don’t want to be forced into the same bullshit that Apple demands of their clients.

It’s not like we have a choice in the long run, we have to take what we’re given. But the fact is, Windows 7 is going to hang on in the same way that XP did .. if MS will continue to support it.

It’s a shame that MS doesn’t really give a damn what WE want, they simply have this driving need to be the ONLY player, instead of just Number One.

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.privett Ronald B Privett

you can right click in bottom left corner for old type menu

Harry_Wild

Just shows how Microsoft’s Steven Sinofsky misjudged the end user need and desire for out of Windows and refuse to give it up . I guess that one of many reasons he got the axe!

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jim-Phong/100001178973449 Jim Phong

If that was the case they would have fired Metro/ModernUI designers too instead Ballmer gave more power to them.

Ballmer and his whole gang of lazy employees should be fired by investors before Microsoft collapses.

http://twitter.com/Michael667W Michael Walker

There’s also windows8startbutton.com- it’s free and works great. It comes with a few features that are handy- a media player and browser, so it’s worthwhile checking out if you’re using a computer and not a tablet.

flash

This is just another article trying to make win 8 win7…just asking is win 8 really worth all these troubles..ask yourself..

Jml

BECAUSE M$ WINDOWS 8 SUCKS AND LOTS OF PEOPLE HATE IT LIKE ME!!!!!

http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Bales/1480767163 John Bales

Am using Start8 from Stardock. This app makes Windows 8 functional and is the way Microsoft should have built the new OS, giving people a choice in the way they use the OS on a laptop or desktop computer, and it gives the end user choices as to how the choose to use the Modern UI, Charms, and Hot Corners. I’ve installed this on my laptop where I had tested Windows 8 and installed the Windows 8 release.

http://twitter.com/heyidiot Matthew Simpson

Yeah, but what I want is ProgMan… You see kids, back when real Windows were made of glass…

Little_Tin_God

I’ve used Start Menu X (http://www.startmenux.com/index.html) since shortly after Windows 7 made it’s debut. Not only does Start Menu X bring back the start button for Windows 8, but it now allows completely bypassing the-once-named-metro and goes directly to the desktop.

IraMinor

I am writing this comment using ChromeOS on a Chromebox. It is the only system I use for surfing the internet even though I have a 16 GB, Core i7 desktop running a triple boot of Win 7 32 and 64 bit and Win 8 64 bit sitting right next to it. I use my Win machine primarily off-line for such things as photo and video editing and software development. I installed Win 8 on it so that I could learn how to use it in order to help friends and family.

The first things I did on Win 8 were to install Classic Shell, GodMode and pin the Control Panel to the task bar. I never go to the Metro interface. Most of the time I forget I am on Win 8 and think I am on Win 7. For real work I boot Win 7 and will start using Win 8 only if I have a compelling reason to do so.

I have purchased and used every operating system produced by Microsoft since DOS 1.1 in 1981. The Windows UI evolved very naturally through Win XP. After XP the UI started going downhill. The lesson for Microsoft should be DON’T FIX IT IF IT’S NOT BROKEN. I think they were running in fear of Apple and Linux. I think Microsoft has finally done them self in. If you are going to go to all the trouble to learn how to use the convoluted Win8 maybe it’s the right time to switch to Apple.

Jml

AND WHAT DID M$ DO AH YES THE BROKE THE WINDOWS UI EVEN Thought there was NOTHING WRONG WITH IT IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!!

Raymond Cox

I personally like the UI of Windows 7. When I first switched from 98 to XP, there was something about the look and feel I didn’t like, but I got used to it. But to be perfectly honestly, there is almost no way I would even consider touching a system with XP after using 7 for just 1 day. Even if there was an updated version of XP available.

Taggart

I think they made windows 8 so they can sell more copy’s of windows 7 or xp – why make laptops / desktops resemble a tablet ! that sucks !!! also just saying touch screen laptops are the stupidest invention ever and that is saying something !

Patrick in IT

Do you mean to say the ONLY way to restore the windows Start Menu is through third-party software? In a way, for the lower than average user, that could be the safest way but there are registry edits that can be safely explained. using third party software that replaces components of the operating system is just BEGGING for trouble later on as MS updates the operating system.

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.privett Ronald B Privett

right click in bottom left for the old start menu….missing a few items tho, like picture, docs, and more, but programs , command line and several others are still there

Johnathan

Who ever thought taking the start button out was a fail and my whole thing was what was the purpose of the desktop tab all i was seeing was a big mess all over the desktop waste of my time and desktop space for icons Microsoft turn the start button back on or get rid of the desktop completely

Wow so many people here being too lazy to relearn some decade old habit of clicking a start button… Is it so hard to click the corner of the screen?

And the startscreen can do anything the startmenu could, just better in most cases.
If you guys hate Windows so much, why are you even commenting on this? And why the hell aren’t you using Macs? Just get a Mac and be happy and make the Windows community a better place, will ya

You asked: “How to bring back the Start menu and button to Windows 8?”
My answer – the very best way to overcome all those Win8 design flaws is: just dump it! Reinstall Windows 7, and you’ll feel a lot better instantly!

Jml

DESTROY M$ WINDOWS 8 NUKE IT FORMAT IT OFF THE HARD DRIVE MWHAHAHAH!!!!!

Neal Schwartz

I remember a number of years ago, The Coke-A-Cola company decided to reformulate Coke and called it New Coke. We all know what happened next. Just because you have billions of dollars ,doesn’t mean you don’t make mistakes.

Steven Sinofsky is out. Steve Ballmer personally fired Sinofsky, who was head of Microsoft’s Windows division. He was the principle proponent and driving force behind the decision to remove the start button from Windows 8. He detailed his reasoning of why users should be forced to drop it cold-turkey.

I have an issue with these tiles being updated all the time, like the widgets or gadgets in Vista…If I only have a 3 to 6 MBPS internet connection, it is barely capable of watching Netflix movies in HD. Throw in three or four of these Windows 8 laptops running and updating all these tiles, and I wonder how much (if any) reserve I’ll have for streaming HD movies. So, can these tiles be disabled by default? Can they be set to only activate when a mouse hovers over them? Bandwidth issues is why I didn’t like Vista, and this Windows 8 looks to be giving me the same problem. Looks like I’ll have to install some of these third-party START Menu programs and have my kid’s and wife’s PCs boot directly to the desktop, not to the infernal Metro interface. And as an aside, does anybody else find the Metro interface just “kiddie” looking with all the bright Crayola colors? I can’t wait to see this on a bunch of Enterprise PCs…and watch the IT guys try to keep a straight face.

GERMIN4T0R

Windows 8 is a complete disaster just like Microsoft Xbox Dashboard and Kinect.

GERMIN4T0R

Windows 8 is a complete disaster just like Microsoft Xbox Dashboard and Kinect.

Bruce Bates

I don’t think on this entire thread of comments there re more than perhaps 5 people who understand anything about windows 8 and why it is not only superior but by leaps and bounds the only operating system in existence setting the path for the future.

How about we talk about what windows 8 really brings to the table and stop with all the bashing, cause at best there have only been a few mediocre points made thus far. Most of the people on this thread seem to have no idea the driving force behind technology….. its business not end user.

You want to know what makes windows 8 better…. there’s an awful lot.

In the days of old pc’s started spreading into homes because they allowed for an extention of the workplace. I could take stuff off the mainframe at work and work on it using my pc at home. Times have changed and mainframes are all but replaced with pc sized servers and actual workplace pc’s.

However the new wave is to take stuff from my workplace pc and put it on my tablet or phone. Windows 8 provides the first seemless integration for that to happen. The same windows 8 runs on your tablets, phones, and pc’s. This has never before been the case. Phones running windows 7 actually run a modified windows 7 made for phones. This isn’t ther case with windows 8. Windows 8 can integrate seemlessly all your widows 8 devices. tablet, pc, gaming console, and phone.

But wait…. thats not all it does. It dd the capability for OUTSTANDING touch based navigation on pc’s and laptops, not just phones and tablets.

As if any of this matters…. the real power of windows 8 lies in the fact that it is seemless integrated with the microsoft cloud based computing services. Changing your password on windows 8, requires you change your microsoft passport password (assuming you have windows 8 integrated properly).

No other operating system in existence is integrated with cloud computing.

You my decide you hate all these features, but this is a dream come true for any real business or power user. If the future of windows holds what I suspect, then we are going to see all Microsoft software phased out and replaced with payed cloud based apps.

None of these new features are a remote possibility for other versions of windows and yes…. this means if you want to stick with yesterday’s version of windows…. just like always you need to switch to linux.

Linux is great at cloning windows features, but they are always one version behind. This is why they are not adapted by the majority. Microsoft and apple are the only ones setting standards, linux just follows them and integrates them and makes them better.

A lot of people are going to argue this is whats wrong with windows 8…. but a lot of people generally fight the future of technology trying to hold on to yesterdays past.

Jml

HEY DOUCHE-BAG STOP COMMENTING RIGHT NOW!!!! M$ Services ARE A LOAD OF SHIT!!!! ITS A NIGHTMARE FOR ANY POWER USER AND YOUR STUPID WET DREAM COME TRUE!!!! LINUX ROCKS M$ WINBLOWS 8 SUCKS PERIOD!!!!!!! Linux has not be widely adopted because of lack of games and ease of use both problems are being fixed NOT YOUR STUPID REASONS!!!!

Raymond Cox

I do agree with your overall premise. I do think business drives technology more than end users. I also see the trend of BYOD starting to make foot. My only issue is that in some ways I do think Microsoft appears to be looking more at the end user market. That might not be the case, but that is how it comes across in some ways. Having worked in IT and in education, I would have been a little hesitant to suggest someone purchase Windows 8 boxes or upgrade all the computers on their campus(es) or their entire company or call center. Personally my job gave me an iPad. I still go back to my desktop to do 90% of the things they say we’re allowed to do mobile now, and if not for the case with keyboard, I would use it even less.

That being said, you are correct. After you get pass the interface issues and the tablet-friendly nature of Windows 8, it does have some good features and qualities for business users. I also agree that Linux is just good at cloning things, and a lot of people who are into the Linux, open-source, and P2P movement were never into driving new technological advancements anyway. The majority weren’t techies. They were just people trying to get stuff free or as cheap as possible.

Tig3RStyluS

I dont mean to offend and I dont often find myself defending comments about Linux very often but i think you have it completely wrong in your last 4 sentences. Its clear you are a consumer that uses a computer/devices at home and also at work but doesnt know too much about technology development in the last 30 years. I agree with everything else you said before that and especially the point that MS is focusing 8 on bridging the touch gap for consumers.. they know that businesses are only finally finishing their upgrades from XP and 7 and adopt normally after at least a year into the lifecycle of a new OS (in traditional Windows Lifecycles). Blue might disrupt that somewhat, we dont know yet but i expect Windows 9 will be when businesses start to move over, not before.

Tig3RStyluS

Agree with most of your points, but i think Linux contributes far more to technology trends and developments than you have given it credit for. A lot of ideas that MS and others have monetised have come from the Unix/Linux developments and this continues to this day. I don’t use Linux often but give credit where its due.

WonderWarthog

Start8 is the best one. I tried out several and bought Start 8 in the end.
It perfectly emulates the Windows 7 Start button behaviour and adds some nice configuration Options Windows never had.
But I will not go back to Windows 7. There are several reasons for that
-boot time is extremely short – on machines with UEFI BIOS even shorter
-after a while I liked the Windows 8 apps actually (USA today, XBox games, etc)
-a multi Screen setup is cool as there are now Task Bars on ALL Screens
etc.
-WWH

marthadebra

If you think Martha`s story is inconceivable,, a month-back my friend’s brother actually earned $9397 just sitting there a fifteen hour week from there apartment and there classmate’s step-mother`s neighbour done this for 6 months and easily made more than $9397 parttime on their pc. apply the advice from this address… http://www.bit90.com

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.stepp Ronald Stepp

It is pretty sad when a third party source has to supply a way to make the OS easier to use.

Jml

Yep its ridiculous but Steve Balmier is an ID10T. Without their respective CEO’s M$ and APPLE ARE JUST Shadows of what they were before the CEO’s left.

Nice info thanks….Windows 8 truly SUX on computers, and isn’t that what it’s supposed to be for ? Microsoft Totally Screwed up this time trying to INSIST people use fkn crap Garbage APPS all over their computers—which are not frkn Telephones, and are most often used for WORK not Shopping crap….UGH this made me totally hate Microsoft here on out…and because SO MANY USERS unknowingly purchased a new laptop or computer with Microsoft Windows 8 with these garbage Metro Window APPS forced on them and NO “START Button” and who are NOW Forced to PURCHASE ONE—MICROSOFT SHOULD BE MADE To PAY us ALL BACK for this crap attempt to Force People to endure Telephone Apps on Their Personal Computers–often causing emotional stress and wastes of time trying to make it work with their work and use of their personal computers…Microsoft FAILS Miserably with Windows 8. NOT RECOMMENDED for ANY COMPUTERS unless you like being forced to endure a Metro APP STORE shoved in your face every time you want to use your computer…this crap is made for TOUCH telephones and Most People do NOT have TOUCH COMPUTERS yet, nor would this crap still be good for that….What the FK were these Microsoft imbesiles thinking!

http://twitter.com/Sonic_98 BHZ

Are you sure you didn’t already hate Microsoft. It seem that most people who don’t like Windows 8 have the same complaint you have. But to be honest that is something that is easily fixable by Microsoft releasing an update to gives people the option of different layout sets. Do you think you’d have the same issue with Windows 8 if maybe they had a few less tiles by default: IE, Mail, Media player, applications, desktop, store, and weather?

Gerry Reid

Now I might just use Windows 8 now that it has the start menu again :), Pokki is particularly nice thanks.

How about a useful comment from people that have used these start menu addons rather than the Linux vs Windows vs Mac OS. Which one of these Start Menu Options is the Best???

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.stepp Ronald Stepp

Windows Update in that little grid for pokki, I was getting so damned tired of hunting for it each time I needed to run it. Search wouldn’t even find it most of the time.

Tig3RStyluS

I installed stardock “Start8” out of curiosity, it gives you 30 days free trial, to buy its $4.99. I took it off after a few days as i didnt need it and felt it would hinder me getting used to the OS. From my own impressions i thought it was excellent and very slickly executed for end user use, Cosmetically it looked like a more modern Windows 7 UI. There are some other paid and free replacements which review sites rated ok but i didnt bother with them as i didnt want a start button.

undercover

start menu is no longer needed if you need all apps then guess what right click on the metro interface and click on the all apps button

http://www.facebook.com/ronald.stepp Ronald Stepp

And you really think that’s an IMPROVEMENT on clicking the start button, then click the app?

undercover

Yes it is a very big improvement as the icons in the metro interface allows you to pin your favorite application and also categorize them into groups which you can name there really is no need for the start menu.

http://resultsnicin2015.in Preeti

Today I installed win 8 in my macbook pro. I am looking for solution from past few hours. Thanks to this blog. http://resultsnicin2015.in

http://amillennialist.blogspot.com Santiago Matamoros

You don’t *have* to use any freeware to restore (or even add to) the functionality of the old Start Menu:

Move the mouse cursor into the lower-left-hand corner of the Desktop (where the Start button used to be), and the Start Screen image appears, Click it, and you’ve got access to all your programs. It’s the Start Menu on steroids. If you don’t want to scan left or right to find what you want, just start typing to find any program, file, or setting you need (reducing or eliminating the need for programs like Enso or Launchy).

If you right-click in that corner, you’ve got a menu giving you access to a number of system settings.

(And the Win key is great.)

Windows 8 is much more response than 7/Vista. It’s great with a Windows 7 touch monitor (make sure you calibrate it) and even better with a Logitech T650 Touch Pad.

(The only thing that bugs me about 8 is the way it treats Desktop like just another Metro app. 8 ought to run all legacy programs fullscreen and allow Win + Tab to cycle between all programs and apps, not just Metro apps. Alt + Tab does this, but it’s not as pretty.)

http://twitter.com/JimFath Jim Fath

I bought a computer for my parents knowing it had win 8 on it. I foolishly thought HP would have drivers for win 7. It did not. They were stuck with win 8. I installed Start8. $5 is a nominal fee that I was happy to pay to return the computer a functional working PC for them. They have absolutely zero interest in apps and all that BS. Highly recommend Start 8. UI was easy to follow and you can dial down the metro menu to your start menu if you want.

edward

after 2 nights of frustration…. getting a hang of the new OS, have to say…. it’s very good! even for desktop use with a traditional mouse. kudos to MS, though i never will say that

WinXP-Win7

May be microsoft was running out of developers so they asked mobile OS developers to work on the desktop version ?

Microsoft is playing it’s hand, and that is that they are moving towards mobile. If you look at the direction of things in a few years, it’s a smart move. Soon everything will be touch input, Microsoft are just finally getting on board.

As for Windows 8, I think it’s fine. It seems the only complaint is about the start bar which can be turned on using this blog post, and the apps which can be disabled as well. When you look at all the performance enhancements and added features it really is a great OS in my opinion.

Jml

IT’S NOT SMART ITS DOWN RIGHT STUPID. M$ should ditch mobile and focus on the desktop AND NO MORE METRO EVER AGAIN!!!!

Tig3RStyluS

Agree and i think its going to get better with the MYO Gesture armband and the Leap Motion sensor.. but i think Keyboard/Mouse/stylus will still be needed for creatives, developers for a long time to come.

Zac Jimmerson

Is there something like Start8 for free?

Robert T.

These programs are very easy to make. To charge someone for it is just criminal. I made simple one that’s extremely quick. Works on Vista and up. Use “Win + S” to open it, close it with the tray icon. Right click on search result to add to them favorites – doesn’t get much simpler.

Here’s a zip file of it. Scan it with whatever antivirus you want before opening it, nothing malicious. I will be releasing it as open source software soon, this is 0.8 beta (64 bit edition).

This is simple. Win 8 seem completely fine except when it doesn’t understand that I am not using a tablet. I don’t need or want an app to take over my entire screen since I typically have at least four or five apps going on my pc and they all require more detailed interaction than a touch interface will ever support. I got a 24 inch monitor so I could keep many balls in the air and I don’t want to completely lose sight of them or search through three screens of 2 inch square icons to start a new app.

http://www.facebook.com/ty.smith.5686322 Ty Smith

Classic Shell is FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Marrach

What Uber-geeks like Arash and Santiago don’t get is that No-One CARES how YOU like the Start Screen. No-one CARES if YOU think it’s Simple to find the hidden START Corner.

Most of us use the PC as a Tool. It isn’t FUN. We turn it on and DON’T go looking and hunting for neat, cool things to do, or to find hidden easter egg code. The MAJORITY of Windows Machine Users just want the thing to TURN ON and to get to the DESKTOP and use their program. ESPECIALLY in an Office setting.

The START screen is an AGGRAVATION.
TRYING to FIND the START Spot to activate the START SCREEN is an AGGRAVATION.

It’s like coming into a Dark room and having to walk back and forth rubbing your hands all over the fricking wall and cursing because the smart-aleck Builder thought it would be COOL and more LOGICAL to put the LIGHT SWITCH for the room OUTSIDE in the HALLWAY because “Obviously, you’d want the light to go on BEFORE you walk Inside.” By the time you’ve finished searching, go back outside and notice the Light Switch OUT THERE…you punch it so hard you break it!

AGGRAVATION!

Sometimes, the Geek has to shut-up and Listen to the Consumer. It may not be what you LIKE, but some things just ARE. And yes, it’s SERIOUSLY FUNNY IRONY– but the Windows START BUTTON and the DESKTOP have become a CULTURAL FIXTURE…like the Light Switch we expect to find JUST INSIDE the door of the dark room you’re entering. You reach for it without thinking and EXPECT it to be there.

When it isn’t there…the user starts growling. After that point, it doesn’t matter how GREAT the rest of Win 8 is purported to be, it’s been tarred and feathered by a STUPID DESIGN that smacks you in the face before you can see the rest.

http://twitter.com/Sonic_98 BHZ

What about all the people who have not been using Windows for years? What about the people who Windows 8 might be their first time using a computer heavily? They won’t have the problem of having to get used to a new thing. PLus, I just hopped on a Windows 8 machine for the first time in about a month. To be honest the start screen was not as busy or cluttered as I remember it being.

Marrach

“…What about all the people who have not been using Windows for years?..”
I presume you don’t mean people who are still using Win 3.11, I guess.

And yes– for a lot of new users buying their first PC, Windows 8 will be the new Standard. And for Home use, It really is a matter of personal preference. But in the workplace, the Experience is in 2000/XP and then the slight jump to Win7 which continued the Desktop Experience that was congealed with the Win 2000 scheme–Start Button & all.

For the Workplace, for those of us who aren’t under 25 who’ve NEVER worked with a PC before, and especially for the person who deals with the IT questions: Where’s the START button? is a needless distraction. Where’s my Program? is pointless teeth grinder. What happened to my Desktop? I can’t find the Bump spot. Forget about it.

For myself– I have a basketful of WIn7 licenses. And you know what, My staff STILL think they’re using XP! Which means there’s no confusion. They look and FIND their programs in the usual places and get to their tasks. I can take care of all the other things I need to do.

On the NON-Work side of things. I say This: The Start Screen is ‘Cute’. Is it a REAL Game Changer? No. It’s extraneous. People don’t BUY PC OSes to ‘Have Fun’ with the OS.

Think of it this way. When you Log into your Bank Website to access your account– do you REALLY CARE about the cute flashing movies you see on the home screen? Do you browse every little link…just to see what little suprise the Webmaster hid behind that nifty blinking link?

Or do you just home that mouse STRAIGHT to the Login button– which you will notice tends to ALWAYS BE IN THE SAME PLACE.

Well what if the Bank IT WEB Designers decided: Wouldn’t it be COOL! if you to came to a FLASH site where you could flick thru various informational screenlets and interactives? And that all you had to do when you wanted to Log in was ‘Bump’ the Left hand upper corner of the Webpage to get to the Login Screen? You’d be pissed as Hell! Especially after you spent 10 minutes trying to figure out where the damned Login Button was. Because all you want to do is PAY A BILL.

And then NEXT Month, the Webdesigner would Move the Button Somewhere Else! Oh, the Customers will learn how to cope…because it’s COOL! And it’s FUN!

That’s the thing. PC’s aren’t the FUN hobbies they used to be. They are Data Appliances now. And like for MOST appliances– we like the ON/OFF button to be in the SAME PLACE EVERYTIME.

So I guess my beef with the Start Screen is a ‘User Design Issue’. Products tend to run into trouble when the Designer starts deciding that the Users WILL adapt to something new…because it what’s the DESIGNER Wants. Sometimes it works. A lot of times it doesn’t. Time will tell with Win 8’s Start Screen. I hope that a Service Pack will give the user the option to Kill the Start Screen Altogether.

Dennis Cowsky

Now only if someone could come up with a way to get rid of Steve Bummer.

undercover

no need for third party apps as the all apps button is in the metro interface all you need to do is right click in the metro interface and there is the all apps button

meddle0ne

Yawn.

Neon Frank

Yeah, I feel the same with all the iPhone articles too

disqus_dMdp3DfPNE

In summation, Windows 8 sucks.

Neon Frank

No, not really have you really tried it, and if so for a few days with the idea you’ll hate it?

My old DELL Vista laptop which was slow (compared to today) with both Vista and Win7 is much faster with Win8, amazingly so in fact! By adding the start button and using a touch mouse Win8 is quite nice.

http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Bales/1480767163 John Bales

I’ve been using Start8 on my laptop with Windows 8. It’s set up to boot directly to the desktop, disables the hot corners, and creates the Start button. So far it has run smoothly and is a godsend if you’re not crazy about the new “Modern” screen. I tried a number of the programs listed here and liked Start8 the best. For $4.99 it was well worth the price to make Windows 8 more user friendly (IMHO).

Raymond Cox

I work in IT, and I personally really had not feeling Windows 8 since I installed an RC version almost a year ago. I really don’t like the Metro interface. Then again I really don’t like the iPad I used. If I didn’t have a case with a keyboard, I would rarely use the thing. I could instantly see issues someone who has never used a computer or has only recently started using Windows 7 would have.

I don’t like the fact the start button is gone. And to honest if I was on a tablet instead of a laptop and didn’t have the option of ALT+Tab, Windows 8 would just drive me insane. I don’t like the steps you have to go through to get to the shutdown button. I really don’t like so much stuff on the default metro screen. It’s so busy. To me it would have been better if they did something that was “start menu light” like on Windows Phone. They should have put just a handful of tiles on the main screen then had an arrow that gives you the other programs, similar to what you get with the old start menu. If you look at Windows Phone, that would be the ideal setup. They could have had just a few tiles, and then those tiles or an arrow could have led to other tile groups. Maybe what they could do is offer different layout options. I also think a could make sure all tablet manufacturers have a back button that goes one screen back like on the Phone and a keyboard combination that does the same for desktops and laptops.

That being said, most of what I said is just stuff I don’t like about Windows 8 or that takes some getting used to. I do like the PDF reader. I works just like the Mac one. It allows you to copy and paste. I also like the speed of Windows 8. I wouldn’t say there is anything WRONG with Windows 8. There are just some things that could have been implemented differently or take some getting used to.

Raymond Cox

I really don’t get the people who say they prefer Windows XP to 7. All I had to do was sit down with 7 for 30 minutes, and I knew I couldn’t go back at XP.

sheila219

Thomas. true that Mary`s st0rry is unbelievable… last tuesday I bought a brand new Fiat Multipla from having made $8885 this-past/four weeks and more than 10/k this past-month. it’s actualy my favourite-job I have ever had. I actually started eight months/ago and right away earned over $80, per-hr. I use this website, jump15.comCHECK IT OUT

It’s gotten to the point where the only real reason I’m keeping Windows around is to use iTunes. It works for crap in Wine, and the current version doesn’t at all. I recently went through my programs list, and it turns out most of them either have a Linux version, or something close, with the notable exception of iTunes. I’ve used Ubuntu and Mint and rather liked them.

Come on Apple, it’s not like porting would be hard. OSX is a Unix variant too.

DTabor

8 Sucks!

ROHIT KUMAR

How to add Start Menu in windows 8 without any third-party downloading?

Having read this article, I am thinking of installing Pokki. However, I have just got used to the new style Windows 8 layout. If I install Pokki and it boots straight to the desktop, could I sometimes be able to flip between the that and go back to the “new style” Windows 8?

I think that the point that may be being missed is despite the gigantic advances in auto-mobile technology the pedals and steering wheel are still in the places that you expect to find them so that you can control the system. On a computer system why not leave an option so that you can have a classic interface?

Nathan Hollis

Microsoft does not understand the customer.

andraji

I agree with you, however I have download a software make the start menu appears again with Iobit StartMenu8.

BadWhisky

Start Menu 8 works very well.

http://www.facebook.com/mark.smirnov.92 Mark Smirnov

Wow pokki is amazing-truly makes your pc easy to use and takes away hatred of windows 8. If you are reading this you should get pokki now!

http://www.facebook.com/mark.smirnov.92 Mark Smirnov

why do I always leave reviews 5 minutes after purchasing a product??? DON’T get pokki! It just broke…

Windows8 is still pretty unusable after having restored the start menu with Classic Shell anyway.

There is the awful new UAC too deal with.

In order to disable it a messed up syntax should be like this to disable it properly:

powershell -Command “”

(this to re-enable):

powershell -Command “”

With UAC really disabled the Metro apps store doesn’t work anymore. But who would want to waste money on that crap at all ?

Greg

I’ve been using windows 8 on a desktop without touchscreen, w/ touchscreen and a tablet. There’s a learning curve – but is it really that difficult? Even without a touchscreen, there are easy ways to access everything. The start screen feels like a giant start menu with some additional features. I always found my start menu got way too cluttered in windows 7/XP, if I deleted something from the start menu it was a pain to have to find the original program. In windows 8 I can customize the start screen easily and can group my most used apps so they are easy to find. I can see all programs on the computer if necessary a right click. If I’m on the desktop – I point my mouse exactly where the start menu used to be and the start screen comes up with every program/app I use regularly. I can pin apps to the desktop/taskbar. My 3 year old can now access his computer games on a touchscreen – he couldn’t do this easily with a mouse.

Start screen aside – windows 8 is fast. It boots up in about 10 secs if you have an SSD – this is with older hardware. Has built in antivirus, explorer menus are better organized, burn to iso…

Not perfect – not sure what microsoft was thinking with the power button – you can easily create a desktop, start screen shortcut though. An option to boot directly to the desktop would be nice – particularly for business users/corportations. I also recognize that microsoft is trying a more unified approach to desktop/tablet/phone – is this such a bad thing? I can learn one system instead of 3 – yeah it helps them sell devices – that’s the point isn’t it. You like the environment/ecosytem and microsoft makes money – this is how capitalism works.

I’d be interested in hearing from the people that actually purchased the OS and decided they are switching back to windows 7/mac/ubuntu or whatever. Was it just too hard to figure out? How long did you give it? I suspect a lot of the negative comments are from people that haven’t actually used the OS long enough to appreciate it. Maybe i’m brainwashed – I tried ubuntu and macintosh and went back to microsoft.

xxcorpxx

I thought I just went back in time. are you still crying about a stupid start menu? OMG get over it already. It’s so idiotic that someone can’t manage to work with windows 8 the way it was designed. Holy hell. Get over it already. It works great without it. Just get used to it and move the F on already.

Neon Frank

At the least, Windows 8 proves Chinese are wrong…

…8 does not mean “prosperous” or “wealth”

meddle0ne

The start menu sucked. Why would you want a menu that can’t be customized over a fully configurable menu with live information being fed through the icons. As for the absence of a button, I would prefer it be optional. The hot corner is better in most circumstances since it doesn’t take up space on the task bar. Although, sometimes I’ll play around with the touch screen desktops at Best Buy, and without a windows button on the monitor I can’t get to the menu without the keyboard, unless I bring up charms. People talk about how W8 is unintuitive. The menus are quite intuitive. They are just hidden. Once you figure out the new features the pattern repeats for all the applications. The same can’t be said for traditional desktop apps that all have different menus to figure out for each application. My biggest complaint is having all apps run in full screen. It’s rare that this is an issue, but when I’m in IE doing my bills, and I need to use the calculator it’s a real pain. Of course I can switch to desktop and everything is fine but it’s an annoyance when I’m trying to get stuff done. I prefer to live in the metro interface, but there are times when it just doesn’t work. I would really love to see this get sorted out.

Arash Jafari

It seems that 8.1 will be very welcomed by you because of the new Modern UI enhancements. In the meanwhile you could download a free calculator from the store – there’re 700 of them – and use it in snap mode beside your browser.

http://www.facebook.com/people/John-Bales/1480767163 John Bales

I am using Start8 with Windows 8 on my laptop. I love it. To me, it feels so much a part of Windows 8, as if it were a built-in option by Microsoft. I boot directly to the desktop and disabled the hot corners, leaving just a keystroke to take me to the Start screen (on the rare occasions I decide to visit it). It was worth the $5 to be able to bypass Microsoft’s monstrosity, the Metro/Modern start screen.

me

Windows 8 is so easy to use. You’ll never need the ole start button ágain.

ee mail

A new way to ransom Microsoft users :
pay hundreds of $ to get back the missing features…
in the new version.
standard tactics

Harry_Wild

I am waiting for the Windows 8 upgrade – “Blue”. I heard rumors that they order the Windows 8 development team to do both the Start Button and the Menu. Originally, the Windows 8 development team only wanted to give back the Start Button and did not want to have users get the Menu. Rumors had it that they bribe the members with a $250K bonus if they added back the Menu too!

me

You don’t need the start button. Now you have “charms”. I honestly don’t miss it on my new laptop. Win 8 is very easy to use.

You always should know that, When Windows Vista came out, It was full of bugs and problems but they released Windows 7 after that with fully fixed and no problem. it’s same as Windows 8, Its like a Beta Stage, Where there is going to be Windows 9 with everything that people needs that’s not in Windows 8. Got it?

Every person that I have seen or heard bag on windows 8 is because
they haven’t even tried it… No body likes change, and no body likes to
admit that they don’t have the money to upgrade. I specifically
remember a lot of people bagging on vista.. and yes it did suck, but it
paved the way to windows 7 which, in my opinion, was a beautiful
success.

I do miss the start menu and I don’t like
some of the complicated ways of accessing apps. But when it comes to the
app menu, I love it. This is where technology is headed and it must be
accepted. Yes there are a few bugs to fix, If more people tried the beta
version and provided more valuable feed back then maybe Microsoft would
have released a better OS, but who knows. I do agree that they should
have kept certain things familiar because that is what really made
windows great, but it does not mean it’s a complete failure.. It’s only a stepping stone to an amazing OS, and I do have confidence that Microsoft will achieve this.

-It’s better to try then to not try at all. No true success comes without making a few mistakes.

6161940

Will the new start button get rid of that annoying charms window that pops out whenever I get near it? I hate that thing.

Jeremy Pierce

If i wanted an apple i would buy it. But the thing i dislike the most about apple is the lack of practical control i have over their products. They are control freaks!

what is the Start menu program used on the FIRST image of this post??? :SSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Joel Detrow

“Start8 has a curious option where you can actually have the new Windows 8 Metro Start screen pop up as a menu, rather than full-screen (pictured at the top of the story).”

dunfather

I spend €900 on a laptop cramed with windows 8, I installed a particular music production software which I use and guess what! it wont start because of compatibility issues and half of my vst plungins wont work either which they use to work perfectly on windows 7 and worse! windows 8 wont let me install windows 7!! And I ask Mr Jafari whats the big deal with win8? Is win8 still better than win7 when a user have a problem like this?

phil

Don’t waste your money for a bandage to bring back the start menu. Just go out and get windows 7 or linux. Windows ME, Vista and now Windows 8, it seems that M$ has a collection of village idiots of software. My mother is not happy with this crap, shes in her 70’s and doesn’t need it ether. So right now I’m putting Ubuntu on her laptop, she is happy with that and all she dose is sure and email.

I HATE CHANGE

I for one just wanted a start button back like with my other computers….Thank you…worked like a charm!!!

cj

Microsoft you numbskulls, damn well put back the start button! Have spent 3 days with this new computer b4 I found out there is not one.What in God’s name!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

scott winebrenner

lol…I bought a dell xps 12 because I like the idea of a full function laptop with tablet function. I am still learning to work with it but feel it is in fact the right decision. True navigating windows is a change from my usual experience but it was the right decision. all the functionality is there albeit in a different format (something to learn) but that is part of the fun…go with it. quick access thru metro for commonly used functions is great, navigating windows for settings has been a chore. but the more I read in forums such as this the more I learn….pretty cool dual function as far as I am concerned. as a consumer I am enjoying the experience.
download a start button if that pisses you off…lol

Trisha Agarwal

Windows 8’s new Start screen has been hotly debated since the operating system launched in preview mode earlier this year. Acknowledged by some as a bold step into the tablet market, and criticized by many others who prefer the familiar desktop experience, the new ‘Modern UI Style’ home is here to stay. But beyond not offering a way to bypass this screen (not without the help of third-party utilities), surprisingly Microsoft is also limiting your options when it comes to customizing the Start screen’s appearance. You can choose from a couple color schemes and 10 stock background images, but that’s about it. RP

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Phobos

What the fuck is this?? I’m going to cast a spell on your ass with my foot. Damn spam.

Safe House

Windows 8: Microsoft’s way of telling me how my desktop should look,
and will eventually be the reason I finally transition to MAC.

Vinny Brucker

Windows 8 isn’t all that bad, or should I say Windows 8.1. They realized they made a mistake not having a start button, or a start menu by adding a start button, but that’s all it really is. Just a button. But, in a way, the Metro interface IS the start menu we all know and love, just in some new clothes if you will. The apps, programs, search, they’re all still there. It just looks a hell of a lot different. Many people fail to remember that. Hopefully, Microsoft will realize they’re mistake and at least give you the option to have the old start menu.

gdcox

With a name like that, you would expect things to disappear from the menu, or least my four year old would. .

Windows 8 7’s starters menu

Atif

i don’t think it’s a bad thing to change the appearance and menu style of the WIndows as the technology is heading so we have to, but there is little trouble for a new user who is switching on windows8 plateform but there must be an option to enable the start menu or at least an alternative from Microsoft instead of substandard developers.

John Warren

I’m so pleased about these underground efforts. I’ve been trying to get used to Win8/8.1 for a while now, but I’ve finally had to concede that it is just fucking awful. Microsoft fucked up big time. They threw the baby out with the bathwater, and then, just to be certain that everybody hated them, they threw out the bath as well.

Linda Gordon

my hp pavilion touch smart, windows 8, start up screen went to a half page instead of going full screen. How do I get it to full screen again. I am a new user. Linda

jabbajawz

I just gotta LAUGH at ALL of you complaining about the Metro UI and using that to say Windows 8 sucks. If that is the ONE feature you don’t like then GET OVER IT.

To be honest, I don’t use the start menu that much in Windows 7 and most people I know don’t use the start menu. People put shortcuts to things that they want on their desktops or task bar and then work from that. I for one use A LOT of keyboard shortcuts. The ONLY thing I regularly use my start menu for on Windows 7 is to shut down the computer.

Anytime I wanted to find something that I didn’t regularly use with Windows seven, i would press the start key on the keyboard and start typing what I wanted and it would pop up in the search. I do the SAME thing in Windows 8. I have windows 8 on my NON-touchscreen laptop and I have no troubles. Also, I haven’t seen the Metro UI in a week because I work from the desktop and I have everything I need there.

Windows 8 is A LOT faster, smoother, and more stable than Windows 7, even with the Metro UI ALWAYS running in the background. So why don’t you people LEARN HOW TO USE THE OPERATING SYSTEM PROPERLY and stop complaining.

Jay D Belford

Good idea – just like Christians and the GOP, we should all blame firemen – and not the fires they’re fighting/ or blame cops – and not the criminals who create problems / and blame the IRS – not the people who wrote and passed all the wild and crazy tax rules …. oy !!

Jillian Kones

Unfortunately, it keeps freezing once I open the start menu, which works perfectly.

Cookies

… This page ended up on the headlines again?

Isn’t this thing 2 years old or something? Why are old articles being refreshed?

Robert Foy

I was like “Ummm, they are adding the start menu back in 8.1″….then I noticed some of the comments…and noticed the AGE of the comments.

Holy fuck, talk about necroing a thread.

brekinapez

Yeah, they have a lot of wizards here at ET.

http://www.mrseb.co.uk/ Sebastian Anthony

I used to be a wizard. But over the last few years I’ve been consorting with some unsavoury types, visiting mysterious libraries, and peddling in cadavers. It’s probably safe to say that I’m now a NECROMANCER. MUAHAHAHAH.

Tony_IA

I purchased a new machine 2 months after windows 8 came out, and sure enough, it arrived with windows 8 installed. I used it for 2 weeks before downloading Start8. It has been the best $5 I’ve ever spent. 100% of my time is spent on the desktop, I haven’t used a metro option yet (the few attempts I’ve made I quickly changed my mind). Office/paint/games/music – all in desktop mode, all easy to use and find – all familiar to me without needing retraining or wasting my dual 24″ monitors on huge tiles. Whatever option you decide on, if you don’t have the time or desire to retrain yourself, these task bar add-on are well worth the look. They all allow you to mess with metro if you want, or use the hard earned experience you already have on the desktop you are comfortable with. Peace of mind was worth $5 to me, but the $3 or free options will work too.

Cam Gordon

I never really liked the start menu in windows 7. The only part of it I ever used was the search function.. I made a habit of purposely removing any and all start menu items possible so that it is basically stripped to search and shutdown. What most people dont realize is you simply need to RIGHT click on the start button for the same basic functions of the win 7 start menu (run, search, control panel, etc etc..). This is all blown out of proportion. simply set win 8 to boot to desktop, prevent the navigation bars, and right click start menu. no third party program required.. IMHO Modern Mix is much better of an app to buy. it allows all of your windows 8 apps to open right in the desktop. good bye metro, I have completely went around it.

windows 8 really is a far superior OS. It has more features and functionality, its smoother and faster when it comes to general use, the driver support is fantastic, has MSE built in to windows defender. It runs smooth as hell, havent had a single problem with it in the last 2 years. In fact once I learned how to navigate in it I decided to buy it for every one of my computers.

but hey dont take my word for it, I have only been using windows 8 since developer preview.

Jeff Vahrenkamp

I was supper annoyed with windows 8 when I first got it, hated the metro screen because like everyone has observed, its made for a touch screen, and is not user friendly for mouse and keyboard use. However, I quickly found classic shell and now I forget i’m on windows 8 because everything essentially functions just like windows 7, but it seems to crash less (and thats saying something as I rarely had crashes on windows 7). In fact I’m not really sure that they changed anything about the desktop in windows 8, maybe they just tacked metro onto windows 7 and called it a new OS.

Jordan Pt

I use Classic Shell and it works perfectly. I was able to easily enable Boot to Desktop(don’t know what your issue is), and I changed an option in the settings that changed the look to match the Windows 8 aesthetics but keep the Windows 7 functionality. It does need a settings redesign as a new user can easily be overwhelmed by the numerous options and tweaks to choose from. But overall I’d recommend this over any of the paid options.

Elijah Thomas

Even though Win8 was a nuisance to get used to, it actually isn’t all that bad after awhile. Of course on a laptop with the rather dynamic mousepad, it’s a whole lot easier, so I’m guessing it’s still pretty bad on the average desktop. And it’s kinda nasty when I want to get deeper into the system than just the apps on the Start menu.

mark turchan

Why not try Start Menu X ? It’s absolutly FREE. I use it and for the Price haven’t found ANYTHING BETTER….

ripsokindynos

How else would they get people to buy Win 9?

eonvee375

are we still talking about W8? i thought we all agreed that it sucked…

Tim

I predict that tablets die out long before laptops do. I could see ultrafast smartphones with docking stations replacing everything in a decade or so, but until something can come along to emulate the ease with which laptops make actual work convenient, I don’t see tablets replacing them. Tablets are fads for people with purses who like to surf the net and watch movies and don’t know where the ‘any key’ is. If I’m gonna schlepp something around that won’t fit in my pocket, I’ll just go for the laptop bag.

Techs

Some people desire longer battery life and lighter weight. Size matters. But it’s not all about size. Some people like it to last. Some people like it to be convenient on a plane.

Bruce N. Wheelock

My Tablet PC gives me an option that laptops, iPads, and phones don’t. I can go to a meeting or class and, with stylus in hand, use my Tablet PC like a pad of paper. No clicking away on a keyboard, no screen flipped up between me and the people I talk to. I can write longhand on the screen and get immediate conversion to text anywhere that keyboard input works. Or I can hold what I write in ink form and export to text later. The handwriting recognition accuracy is excellent. And I have the added ability to draw diagrams and sketches right in my notes.
Point me to any other device that lets me function effectively in a meeting or classroom. Especially when you encounter a manage or instructor who hates people typing while he’s talking. Who likes to observe body language when you speak (and doesn’t want you popping up and down like a jack-in-the-box so he can). I’ve even encountered instructors who discourage or forbid laptop use in his class; but never one who said no to someone using a touch screen device.
Apart from the convenience, there’s the necessity. Due to multiple sclerosis, I cannot make effective use of a keyboard or mouse. At home I work from the desktop interface. I have a headset microphone and speech recognition software (Dragon) so I can do everything on my computer by voice. No way of interacting with a computer beats it, but speaking to my computer in a class or meeting or library or Starbucks is an obvious non-starter. But since I can still hold a pen and write legibly, I have a pen-sized stylus for the tablet, as well as the ability to manipulate things on my Tablet’s screen with a finger or two.
What I do on my desktop computer works exactly as it did in Windows 7, except the Windows 8 is faster, and everything is far more stable. And there is no OS in existence I could use, apart from Windows (no universal speech recognition elsewhere).
What I do on my Tablet PC is unequalled on any platform other than Windows 8. Some platforms have some of the capabilities, but no platform has all of them. And no other platform offers the handwriting capabilities I can’t work without.

James Tolson

How to get start menu in windows 8? Easy install windows 7.. :-)

fdisq

Now, could you tell me how to get the C: prompt back?

Chris Bordeman

Seriously, a year and a half after Windows 8 is released, and this idiot has discovered the Start Menu is gone and how to replace it? How many absolutely identical articles have been written in the last 18 months? WTF?

Yoshi

I’m used to Win 8 now and I like it. With that said, I understand why everyone is frustrated but outside of that start button, i think it’s pretty slick.

BeeChevezubi

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Cyner Giztik

.//Hello World.

Far from a M$ only fan, I’ve managed to make a decent living helping companies and (open minded) people recognized the value of technology. I started my career in “computers”, or what is now commonly known as I.T., as Win95 was creating a similar revolutionary shift of interacting with WinX by introducing the “Start” button. One of the many things the start button did, and why it was quickly embraced is it gave users a location from which to organize typical tasks. The Start button in its original form had a good run – almost 20 years. Until Windows 8. Like most people I was initially puzzled by the new Metro UI, and remain mostly averse to interacting with it… unless I have a touch screen laptop or tablet.

Which, in my opinion, is why the Metro UI is not only necessary, it can provide the most optimum way of performing one of the most common interactions users need to perform: look, select and consume information.

But not the way most people think about this today, rather how we (can be) will be interacting with this information whenever we choose to start making the leap. Few can argue the cost of purchasing powerful technology is well within reach of large portions of our population. This includes gigantic, big screen TV’s. I just purchased a 65″ 4K UDH LED TV (Se!k!) for less that $1K in spring of 2014!

If you want to hook up a computer to that size screen… would you sit in front of it like your traditional 18-22″ PC monitor? I suggest not. Most would be sitting more than 10′ away, on a couch or easy chair. From this distance, reading and navigating via traditional Start Menu method, is no longer as efficient as say, a completely updated and optimized format that can still provide a launch point for all the most common tasks you would like to perform, but do it with a “bigger and blockier” interface, that moves dynamically across the screen based on “gestures” easily performed on a wireless touch pad, or mouse.

Next, consider the same UI is being standardized across M$ platforms, Mobile, Desktop, and Gaming… and consider how the XBox continues to refine the skills and “comfort” of interacting with the technology without “touching” it, but rather with movement, or… gestures.

So when I try and think of a better idea on how to build the type of UI that you stand up/sit down and interact with, from across the room – which will grow much more common as technology claims a bigger and bigger stake of the previously “reserved” space of people’s living rooms. But when your entire living room wall, vs. a 65″ TV.. could be your interaction screen – how would you want the Start Menu to look?

Hopefully, I’ll have more customization options on “how it will look”, but I could see how interacting with my information, would be more effective building off of a “Metro”, “Android” or “IOS” touch or gesture style interface that can be controlled. I think being able to point from across the room, select my calendar, Facebook, Twitter or whatever, and scroll through it “Minority Report” style… in my living room, on a big screen TV, or mold-able LED walls that will eventually reach consumer level pricing, is not only within a very reasonable future, but might already be possible.

It will always be a challenge to interpret where a “finger” is pointing with the precision needed to select on a traditional start menu… since logically the “bullseye” zone needs to get bigger and bigger, to account for all the variables that might be introduced by big, little, young, old, skinny, fat, stubby, missing, etc.. appendages…, or just sh!ty aim. But assume the bullseye does grow proportionately, to accommodate for distance away from the screen – flip things around a little bit, and out comes Metro, or at best some similar compromise.

But more importantly, considering M$ history of pushing technology forward, one could begin to understand why they need to be on the edge of this paradigm shift – as they have done in some many other areas, by helping people learn to embrace a more ubiquitous blending of your traditional PC way of working, and help move things forward.

Yes, it appears M$ may have capitulated, but I would suggest they’ve listened and been forced to respond to the consumer to give back something (Start Menu) they’ve yet to realize, they no longer need.

But that is just me and my 2 cents.. a tech nerd kid who grew up watching the Jetson’s, Dick Tracy and Batman, hoping I live long enough to see all the technology “future” come true.

CG\.

(this is not an endorsement, just one persons view point)

kmdavisjr

My living room is not my office desk.

Witty Widi

Microsoft is too mentally warped to think that any of their productsucts actually are supposed to affect the end user.Or rather, that’s just what they’re telling people through advertisements. Windows is simply a product designed for Microsoft to 1. Thieve more money from you and 2. Lock you into needing their products more and more so you have to keep them paying money. And then when the time comes for you to pay up, they specification-fix their products so you have to pay even more. Take for example the end of Life for Windows XP. When Windows XP expires, most computers aren’t strong enough to handle Vista, 7, or 8. So they have to buy a new computer. So Microsoft gets the price of a full OEM license, instead of an upgrade only. And Microsoft designs all of its products so they’re only compatible with Windows, making it ruthlessly hard to switch. And worse, despite no working bug report form or support service where people actually bother to go, if a user does not complain, or even if they leave windows and switch to gnu/Linux, as I did, they count them as one jolly old customer who has absolutely no problems with any Microsoft product at all!

Note: it was pretty hard to make the switch to Linux because of Microsoft lockin methods, but now it works like a charm. Hell, Linux mint has a better start menu than Windows 8 itself! Not surprising, actually.

Jennifer Brinkley

Honestly, my first thought was to be insulted. Looking at all the icons and colors, I asked myself, ”What, you people think I can’t READ?”

Scott Green

All I wanna do is use my FUCKING CALCULATOR alongside my internet browser without having to search for it via my fucking PC files…man I hate this new OS…im about to load OS10 nd turn my pc into a Mac, and get a fuckin refund for my purchase price of windows 8.1

At the point when Windows XP terminates, most machines aren’t solid enough to handle Vista, 7, or 8. So they need to purchase another machine. So Microsoft gets the cost of a full OEM permit, rather than an update just. Also Microsoft outlines every last bit of its items so they’re just perfect with Windows, making it heartlessly hard to switch. Furthermore more awful, in spite of no meeting expectations bug report structure or help administration where individuals really try to go, if a client does not grumble, or regardless of the fact that they leave windows and switch to gnu/Linux, as I did, they consider them one buoyant old client who has truly no issues with any Microsoft item whatsoever!

Anybody remember the “ambidextrous” MS mouse that MS insisted was “just as convenient for right and left handed users,” even though it was asymmetrical from left to right?
I remember getting a good laugh out of that one.

Shpee Gamer

could someone make a win7 looking one with a win8 button bar right above the search bar thatll take you to the win8 screen? that would combine 7 and 8 beutifully

http://www.processlibrary.com/ UB

Microsoft acknowledged the backlash against Windows 8 by launching 8.1, and it seems they are about to go a step further. For those who absolutely hate the whole Metro UI, they can look forward to the return of the full Start menu with Windows 8.2 – http://www.softwarepatch.com/articles/

I hate Windows 8 for gaming because in some fullscreen games, if I move the cursor to the bottom left and click, I get taken back to the Start screen. Can’t put into words how infuriating that is when playing a multiplayer game.

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“And Windows 10 will bring the real thing back, albeit in an crippled version that doesn’t afford the flexibility of per-user shortcuts and extra folders.”

http://www.twitter.com/jlendino Jamie Lendino

Ha. I love Windows 7, but I did feel the way Start menu shortcuts appeared and organized themselves was kind of clunky, esp. since different developers did different things, and I had to keep moving things around to make it look neat. For the same reason, I’ve gotten sick of Add/Remove programs. I’m anal about that stuff.

Glenn Scott

Windows 10 is just around the corner. Why mess with 8?

Jhollman

Send Windows 8 to the place it belongs, the trash. Now install Windows 7 while wait for Windows 10, dont forget to pray Microsfot dont shit all over again this time.

Tony_IA

Start8 from Stardock costs a whopping $5 and gave back the exact start menu I was used to, as well as the “boot to desktop” option. The other nice thing is that it “duplicates” the ribbon onto a 2nd screen in multi-monitor mode. So if you have 4 programs open, those programs are seen at the bottom of both monitors, not just your main. I’ve found I really enjoy that feature. I tried to use tiles for two weeks. They aren’t hard to figure out, but on two 24″ monitors the transition was so jarring I decided I didn’t need tiles on my desktop as they gave me nothing. This was a very inexpensive and simple solution, and it has worked for me since windows 8.0 came out.

RCW

Hey what about me? I’m still waiting for Microsoft to do away with User Account Control. Remember how Vista came with UAC and the world nearly ended? Wake up MS !

Whatever can we do without a Start Button? Oh, not that it limits a single thing that we can do… it’s just that it’s… well different. And we can’t handle different.

Sure, sure we’re the Extreme Tech crowd and we’re all into all the techy things that are in our future. We’re all up for electric cars, solar power and colonizing Mars. As long as we don’t have to change or adapt… of course.

sferrin

Now if they could just get rid of that Ugly As Sin interface. Seriously, did they fire their art department and make the programmers create their own graphics? The hardware we have, Windows should have an interface to make Kai Krause weep with joy.

DKahn

This is a good outline of what they, at least, think they’re doing……

A reliable way to make people believe in falsehoods is frequent
repetition, because familiarity is not easily distinguished from truth.
Authoritarian institutions and marketers have always known this fact.
Daniel Kahneman, Thinking, Fast and Slow

They believe, and in general, it’s true, that if you just keep feeding
people something over and over for longer terms they will assimilate.
(repetitive habits gets drilled deeper into your brain)

I just wish people would learn something from the whole marijuana thing,
whether they are for, or against. No matter what the subject just go
ahead and do, or don’t do whatever the issue is and steer the markets as
a whole (customer mass teamwork)…. no matter what the companies etc.
are trying to force you into. (ex:new yahoo mail sucks)

The “new” way for all of these companies… and gov…. to TCOB is to not listen
to the people and just force things on us until the newer customers and
generations grow into it and take it as just another regular day.
(brainwashing)

Again, if people would just sacrifice comforts
here and there those comforts would come back and cower to them instead,
kinda thing.

poken1151

It’s said, there’s a fine line between bravery and stupidity. Much of the complaints I’ve seen here with the oft loved ‘M$’ notation, seem to be an easy read if one flips MS for Apple. It’s a fine line, and half of what MS has done is sadly what Apple, another beloved and loathed organization has done timelessly, but seemingly succeeds (or is met with more “understanding” from its user base).

I’m not attempting to rush to the defense of Microsoft’s decisions, or those of Apple or any other company. It’s just another drop in the bucket of the wars that go on on these subjects. Why fan the flames? I dunno.. Why do many even enjoy tech anymore, it’s a love in taking sides and criticizing I guess.

Down with [tech giant], long live [tech giant].

Ivor O’Connor

Your icon has an apple, blackberry, android logo, and a fourth that I don’t recognize. Is that one for M$, had to put that in there, but is missing the little flag?

It makes me wonder how many smart phone OSs there are and if they all have logos…

poken1151

Mm, not sure if I’m walking into a trap here… but I’ll answer honestly, haha.

So, if you look at the whole logo, it’s MS’s logo, with the four squares, and distinctive four colors. The top left is blank as I didn’t put anything there when I made this late one night. But I’ll be placing Palm OS there probably.

And yea, there’s a myriad of other Mobile OSs out there, some alive and most dead, outside of the two kingpins. It’s the way the market works I guess but I personally find it sad so many seem to be content if only one exists, or only a couple…

This is also weird to me, but I initially thought the way everyone wrote MS’s abbreviation on this site as ‘M$’, was meant as basically an insult and lack of respect for the company, but my comment above seemed to had Made all my ‘MS’ into ‘M$’, is there actually something set to make that change? Or was I incredibly someone else that day, haha.

Ivor O’Connor

Thanks. I actually like it because it shows multiple OSs. I’m hoping for some of the underdogs to get useful OS/Phone combos out soon. I usually purchase the new Nexus each year but now that they are charging crazy prices I am not thrilled with them any longer.

RH

I’ve been using “classic start menu”, other than having a shell for the start button, it’s easy to make it look like 7.

sebastianboehm

The START MENU in Windows 10 looks almost exactly like the Start Screen in Windows 8.x! I want to have something that is perfectly structured to make me finding my stuff as easy as possible. I want colours that help me form groups of programs. one colour for all utilities, on colour for libre office, one color for picture processing, one colour for programming stuff and so on. If the coulours can be changed, i can give them a meaning.
This metro stuff is just unstructured, chaotic, ugly coloured and annoying. The left out windows 9 because the had the plan to make two bad versions on after another. they knew the rule, that every second windows is good so they just jumped over 9.
Dont believe the story about windows 95 detection by “windows 9*”! They could have named it: WINDOWS NINE, WINDOWS IX, …. ah, stop, Mac has OSX, they just want to have the same number :)
And: Windows 10 will be continuosly updated.

Positive: You get new versions for free
Negative: If they have another bad idea like those tiles, you have no chance! gotcha!

Tip: If you own windows 7, stay there
Tip: Even if you hate Linux, take a closer look. In 2020 Support for the last almost perfect Windows expires. I am not a linux fan, but having to deal with tiles is no option for me. So you should have plans when 2020 comes and microsoft did not manage to return to usability :D

Richard Joseph Callahan

Alright, I am using the Windows 10 Preview, and unless you have tried it out, you have literally no reason to be saying anything about it. Yes, you can assume a lot because of metro still being in Windows 10, but there are still two things: They are made a little easier to use because of the start menu (I have had no problems getting around), and there is a reason it is called a preview. Although it is unlikely, the GUI could be completely changed once it is realized. So unless you tried it, don’t start going on about how it is going to be so bad.

The very reason I hated Vista/7 so much was that they tried to jam the whole freaking start menu into this little tiny box in the bottom left corner. Remember Windows XP, when you could keep expanding sub-menus to fill up the whole screen? Windows 8 is like that, but 10 times better because I don’t need to expand anything.

If the people in these comments would spent a tenth the effort customizing their start menus as they did whining about change, they would be amazed at how much faster and more efficient their workflow can become.

Keep your desktop tidy, when you need to open something click start and boom it’s right there. If you’re looking for something less common that you don’t have pinned, just start typing. You don’t even need to click search, just start typing the name of the application. When it shows up, hit the “Enter” key and the program starts. Voila!

I thought it was horrible when I first saw it. But obviously M$ saw *something* good about it in their testing phase so I said, “What the hell, I’ll try this garbage for a week and if I hate it I’ll downgrade”. I didn’t hate it, and if you spend a week actually *trying* to use it properly, there’s a good chance neither will you. If you do, go back to Windows 7 and wait for Windows 10. They can’t please everyone, it’s impossible.

P.S. I don’t actually recommend going back to Windows 7. Even if the start menu was completely unusable I’d still stick with Windows 8 for the performance benefits alone. My computer literally goes from powered off to Google home page open in ~25 seconds. This, to me, is worth far more than any shiny new UI components.

Robert Karst

I’ve been using startisback for awhile now, it makes Windows 8’s start menu look, feel and operate like the windows 7 start menu. It only costs $3 per computer and comes with a 30 day free trial to see if it’s what you are looking for.

Ann

I actually enjoy most of those. If they tried to cram it on my desktop ie like when I ran mozilla’s os. I didn’t like it on my desktop, but its not designed for desktop.Cheap Snapback Hats

No doubt, Windows 7 Professional 64bit is a Pro version of Microsoft, Which has all recommended functions, So you can install it with low specs of your system, As you can see; 1GB Processor, 512mb Ram and 8Gb HDD is required to install Windows 7 Professional, But with low specs, Your system will not slow, If you’re not using any apps, which required high specs.
Microsoft released many new OS, But I’m using windows 8.1 professional version and suggest for others to install with its legal license, Which you can buy cheap at: ODosta Store.
Using Boot into UEFI mode or legacy BIOS-compatibility mode when installing Windows from your USB, DVD, or network location, You’ll have full command to use it after having a legal version.
Legal OS will be full & functional with Microsoft updates and make your data safe and sound. Hope to understand.

Robert Larrance

If the only problem with 8/10 was the start button then perhaps I would accept what MS would like us to use. But, there is much more than that. I don’t like 8 or 10 because of the cognitive challenges. The look, feel, and imposition of someone else’s mental ergonomics and preferences isn’t what I am up for. I use a trackball or a mouse, and I need a GUI that stems from that preference. I wonder, when 7 really reaches EOL, if that will be it? Will humans sill have hands? The death rattle of XP is a soft breeze compared to what we will hear when they really kill off 7. And, I will be one of the loudest.

Bringing back the Start menu and button to Windows 8 is a very toughest task with my self. I really relief some tension after read of your nice article. Thanks for sharing valuable information to Brin back the Start menu and button to Windows 8.
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